Work on the Global Perspectives Strategic Initiative officially started this semester. Annie Phillips, executive director for international affairs, and Cindy Pollard, associate vice president of marketing and communication, are serving as co-champions for this initiative. 

The goal of the Global Perspectives initiative is to “increase global perspectives through faculty exchanges, enrollment of international students, education abroad, and international collaborations.” A steering committee of key individuals across all three campuses has been selected. The committee aims to achieve three initial tasks over the next few months:

• Conduct a campus-wide audit to establish a portfolio of what is already happening at TWU in terms of faculty exchanges, enrollment of international students, education abroad, and international collaborations
• Define what it means to “increase global perspectives” and determine how to assess if these increases are happening
• Explore and suggest elements that could be “woven into the fabric” of the work we all do here at TWU to help increase global perspectives

A number of efforts to increase global perspectives at TWU already exist. For example, each year faculty have the opportunity to apply for a visiting faculty exchange with Harlaxton College in England. TWU also hosts approximately 300 degree-seeking international students and sends approximately 300 students abroad each year. In addition, TWU holds collaboration agreements with universities and organizations in Chile, China, England, India, Indonesia, The Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam. Plus, TWU has incorporated global learning into the undergraduate curriculum by requiring all undergraduate students to complete three (3) semester credit hours of an approved Global Perspectives course. The Global Perspective Strategic Initiative committee will reference all of these international efforts, as well as others the committee identifies, to help to inform their work.

If you have questions or would like to share your insights related to this initiative, please contact Annie Phillips (aphillips15@twu.edu) or Cindy Pollard (cpollard@twu.edu).

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Written by the Strategic Plan Design Team