An International Education Week message from Dr. Harvey Charles, Vice Provost for International Programs.

Dear Colleagues,

Today marks the first day of International Education Week, which is a time to celebrate and reflect on all we have accomplished together. This is my first International Education Week as the new Vice Provost for International Programs, and I’m delighted to be here. With the University's long history of pioneering engagement in the field of international education, I have inherited a strong foundation and structure, deeply experienced and dedicated staff, and a campus culture that is receptive to this important work.

In my first few months, I’ve had the chance to visit the Crookston, Duluth, and Morris campuses, as well as many of the Twin Cities deans so far. I'm already impressed by the many examples of interdisciplinary and internationally engaged scholarship by our faculty who seek to answer the grand global questions confronting humanity. Global perspectives and ideas are also being embedded into more courses, and across disciplines. My aim is to ensure these practices and commitments are woven into the fabric of the University and ultimately become institutionalized.

Recent and current events remind us of how interconnected our world is and how the fate of humanity is linked in both simple and complicated ways, at both the local and global level. The role of the academy—particularly large, public research universities like the University of Minnesota—is indispensable, hence the imperative to remain constantly engaged in preparing globally competent graduates and pushing the boundaries of knowledge through global collaborative research. I'm confident the University can meet these ambitious goals.

Faculty and staff are important partners in this work, and I look forward to collaborating as we support the University in asserting a more dominant role on the global stage as an institution of higher learning, and as a site for innovation and discovery.

Sincerely,
Dr. Harvey Charles
Vice Provost for International Programs