UK International Center Releases New Strategic Plan

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 16, 2022) — The University of Kentucky International Center has unveiled its new Global UK Strategic Plan, effective through 2026. The new strategic plan outlines a bold, forward-thinking path focused on three key priorities:

• Inspiring Global Learning and Discovery
• Fostering a Globally Engaged Kentucky
• Creating a UK Global Hub

“The importance of a global mindset has come into stark focus these last couple of years,” said Associate Provost for Internationalization Sue Roberts. “The new strategic plan recognizes this and positions the University of Kentucky to be a leading university for global engagement, awareness and understanding.”

Global UK also aligns with the University of Kentucky’s 2020-2025 strategic plan in its focus on inspiring ingenuity, increasing the diversity and inclusivity of our campus community and providing global learning opportunities to faculty, staff and students.

Some key goals and initiatives in the strategic plan include:

• Raising awareness on campus of what global learning is and of the value of global perspectives.
• Ensuring global learning opportunities are available to all UK community members.
• Enhancing cultural exchange for students, faculty and staff, including intentional encounters between domestic and international students, emphasizing cultural humility and intercultural competence.
• Advocating for campus spaces that welcome community members and reflect our values of internationalization, diversity and inclusion.
• Making the University of Kentucky a destination for an increased and more diverse international student population through expanded global outreach and coordinated international student recruitment efforts.

Developed over the course of one year, the Global UK Strategic Plan is the product of over 45 diverse voices from across campus and the local community collaborating in working groups.

“It was absolutely vital for us to get input from as many perspectives as possible,” said Roberts. “We’re incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication of faculty and staff colleagues from across campus who helped develop this plan, and we’re confident in the outcomes the new strategic plan will produce for the university.”

More information about the new Global UK Strategic Plan can be found at https://international.uky.edu/about/strategic-plan.