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CSSAC
Campus Support Staff Advisory Committee

Campus Spotlight: Global Partnerships and Programs

PHOTO CAPTION: Photo by Michael Bittinger – Global Leadership in Peru for Freshmen 2018

 

Global Partnerships and Programs (GPP) encompasses 1) Office of Global Partnerships (OGP), 2) Study Abroad, 3) Center for Intercultural Learning, Mentorship, Assessment & Research (CILMAR), 4) International Scholar Services, and 5) International Student Services. These units work independently but collaboratively to sustainably advance Purdue’s internationalization efforts through world-class research, learning, and engagement. Their unique missions come together to support Purdue’s global vision and maintain its prominent reputation and visibility on the world stage. Global Partnerships and Programs is dedicated to bringing the world to Purdue and Boilermakers to the world.

More than 60 dedicated full-time staff comprise GPP. In January 2023, when President Mung Chiang took office, GPP (formerly known as “International Programs”) moved from the Office of Research and Partnerships to the Office of the President. After Vice President Mike Brzezinski’s retirement in August, Asst. Vice President Heidi Arola took over leadership of the five units, in addition to her role as the director of the Office of Global Partnerships. Arola reports to Alyssa Wilcox, senior vice president for partnerships and chief of staff to the president.

Office of Global Partnerships: The mission of the Office of Global Partnerships is to increase the impact, scale, and sustainability of Purdue University's global partnerships for the purpose of creating additive and tangible contributions to Purdue’s Next Moves; Purdue's global reputation and rankings; and the overall Purdue experience for students, faculty, and staff. OGP works collaboratively with international institutions, foreign governments, and other strategic partners worldwide. Purdue has two formally recognized strategic partner countries: India and Colombia. Both country partnerships were established a decade ago and continue to thrive. In 2023, the Colombia Purdue Partnership received an honorable mention in the prestigious Haskell Awards from the Institute of International Education. See Purdue Today’s feature stories at the links below.

Study Abroad: At Purdue, we believe our world is the ultimate classroom, and life experience is the best supplement to a college education. By seeking an experience that is unique and thought-provoking, students jumpstart the development of what and whom they want to become. Study abroad offers 450+ programs in 60+ countries, meaning there is something for everyone. Purdue also welcomes about 200 international exchange students to our campus community each year. Office of Programs for Study Abroad is led by its senior director, Dr. Brian Harley.

The Center for Intercultural Learning, Mentorship, Assessment and Research promotes and facilitates intercultural learning at Purdue and beyond. CILMAR fosters inclusion, belongingness, and community; cultivates the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of intercultural competence; and provides opportunities and resources for engaging with, adapting to, and bridging across difference. Furthermore, CILMAR mentors intercultural leaders, supports innovative scholarship, and encourages best practices in teaching and learning. Purdue’s Intercultural Learning Hub or HubICL, developed by CILMAR, is a resource open to not only Purdue but also to intercultural and higher education professionals around the world. This resource was developed to be a one-stop-shop for intercultural learning. Within HubICL, users can find resources in the following main areas: Professional Development Zone, Research Repository, Digital Toolbox for Practitioners, and Networking Opportunities. CILMAR is led by its director, Dr. Kris Acheson-Clair.

Purdue’s International Scholar Services team provides consistent, transparent, proactive, and comprehensive guidance "from there to here." International Scholar Services supports roughly 1200 international faculty and instructors, staff, postdocs, researchers, and visiting scholars at Purdue from their transition to the university, through their stay on campus, until either their departure or adjustment to permanent residents. International Scholar Services provides essential support which allows Purdue to achieve its goals of promoting world-changing research and transformative education. Amanda A. Thompson is the director of International Scholar Services.

Purdue’s International Student Services team is committed to providing outstanding service associated with immigration compliance and procedures. International Student Services provides support to more than 9500 actively enrolled students from more than 130 nations and approximately 3000 students participating in post-completion benefits under the F and J student programs. International Student Services engages with Purdue students, their families, and campus and community partners to comprehensively support students’ academic, social, and professional success. Purdue is consistently ranked in the top 10 (of 4500+ U.S. universities) for international student enrollment (Open Doors). Chris Collin is the director of International Student Services.

History: Purdue University is one of the most international institutions in the United States and is proud of its long history of learning, discovery, and engagement globally. Purdue has been active internationally for many decades. Two examples of this are Purdue’s partnerships with National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Taiwan and the Federal University of Viçosa in Brazil. Purdue’s collaborations with NCKU go back 70 years and continue strong today. Starting in 1952, Purdue began to engage with NCKU (then called Tainan Provincial College of Engineering) through a post-WWII financial and technical assistance program. The U.S. government invested approximately $3 million of funding into NCKU. Purdue, with its land-grant mission, helped transform this engineering college. In the 1950s, Purdue faculty and staff from the College of Agriculture began working with the Federal Universities of Brazil, including Viçosa. The primary aim of our efforts was to initiate institution building within the agricultural departments. Today, one of the main throughways in Viçosa’s campus is still Avenida Purdue.

The Future: The GPP team is excited about the future of international engagement under our new globally-minded president. We are also dedicated to continuing to offer high-quality services to our international students, faculty, and partners. We remain committed to supporting the Purdue Moves of Transformative Education and World-Changing Research while supporting the university’s Next Moves and strategic objectives. The launch of Purdue Indy and initiatives including Purdue Computes provide additional opportunities for international engagement and partnerships.

Note: International Education Week (IEW) is celebrated nationally every November; this year it will be November 13-17. Purdue staff from GPP and campus partners have come together to organize an even more robust selection of events this year, including panel discussions, an international game night, and a comedy show with international themes. Please stay tuned for more information. A full list of activities will be published in Purdue Today prior to IEW.

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