C. Eugene Allen Award for Innovative International Initiatives (III)

The initiative should (1) raise the visibility of internationalization; (2) initiate meaningful change; and (3) have a direct and demonstrable impact on students, staff, faculty, and/or the University or external communities. 

The major criteria for evaluating initiatives will be: How and to what extent did the initiative make a difference in advancing international or global needs of the target audience(s) or programs?

It is important to emphasize that this award is intended to recognize originality and risk-taking that is essential to creation of new and innovative ideas and programs important to advancing internationalization.

Some examples of innovative work within key areas are:

• Develop innovative student learning or research experiences outside the U.S. that go beyond more traditional study abroad, research, and engagement programs.
• Incorporate in a significant way international-global-intercultural perspectives into courses, curriculum or co-curricular activities.
• Advance intercultural training for students, staff, or faculty in ways that are meaningful to them.
• Establish a program that facilitates meaningful interactions between international students or fellows and U.S. students and scholars within departments, colleges, or the campus.
• Understand and support the experiences students encounter personally and academically when they study abroad and how they can process and share these experiences upon returning to campus.
• Creating incentives and mechanisms to support faculty/staff education, development, and research programs abroad.
• Develop pathways to connect community members with global knowledge at the University.

Nominees: The III Award is open to all faculty and staff currently employed within the University system, including adjunct faculty, those on phased-retirement, and all labor classifications. Units, programs (academic or co-curriculuar), or departments are also eligible for the award. Individuals and programs that are part of the GPS Alliance are not eligible for the award.

Nominators: Nominations must be submitted by current faculty or staff. 

The Associate Vice President and Dean of International Programs will nominate a committee of GPS Alliance staff to review applications and make recommendations to the AVP and Dean, who will have final authority to give the award.

• The recipients of the III Award will receive a $2,500 professional development or program assistance stipend and be recognized at a GPS Alliance reception.
• A list of recipients and the significance or their initiative will be maintained on the GPS Alliance website.

Applications are due annually on April 10.

Faculty and staff may nominate colleagues, programs, or units/departments. To submit a nomination, nominators will need to complete a short nomination form asking for:

• a description of the initiative and its impact
• three people who could comment on the impact of the initiative
• contact information for the nominator and the nominee

Nomination form should be sent to global@umn.edu.