UK International Center releases Global Engagement Academy offerings for fall 2026
LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 28, 2026) — LEXINGTON, Ky. — As the Commonwealth’s flagship research university, the University of Kentucky benefits from being globally engaged. It is important that all faculty and staff can be informed about UK’s many international connections and to contribute to this important strength of the university themselves.
Established in the spring of 2020 by the UK International Center, a unit within the Office for Student Success, the Global Engagement Academy (GEA) offers free professional development for faculty and staff to build cross-cutting competencies in international education and engagement. Since the program’s inception, more than 500 UK faculty and staff have participated in the 200 sessions that have been offered so far. The fall 2026 GEA will allow continuing participants to build on the foundational knowledge of previous courses, while welcoming new participants just getting started.
“The Global Engagement Academy gives faculty and staff a window into UK as a global institution, supporting them by making global engagement accessible.” said Tim Barnes, acting associate vice president for global engagement. “Faculty and staff becoming more globally aware and engaged enhances teaching, service and research and is key to advancing our institutional mission.”
Through the academy, participants are exposed to various aspects of campus global engagement — making it an ideal professional development opportunity for those who may be interested in teaching or conducting research abroad themselves or who may be supporting global learning and research. It will also help faculty and staff learn how to work effectively with students and scholars from other countries and how to travel safely and responsibly.
Faculty and staff can choose to take as few or as many of the academy’s short courses as they want, and there are no pre-requisites. Courses are an hour and a half each, and they are offered in person and virtually.
This fall, two foundation courses are being offered: Intercultural Communication and Internationalization at UK and Global Trends. Electives offered include:
- The Fulbright Program and its Role in Campus Internationalization
- Global Health 101
- International Recruitment 101
- International Travel Readiness
- Supporting and Advising International Undergraduate Students
- Supporting International Graduate Students
- Take Your Course Abroad – Faculty-directed Programming at UK
Those who complete three foundation courses and any three elective courses will receive the GEA certificate of completion and become eligible to apply for a $250 academy grant to support their professional development plans.
Click here to register for fall GEA offerings. To learn more about the Global Engagement Academy, visit the UKIC website. If you have questions, please contact GlobalEgAcademy@uky.edu.