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

Dear Colleagues,

Today marks the first day of International Education Week—a time to remind ourselves of how critical our international initiatives, experiences, and partnerships are for the strength of our esteemed university and how deeply intertwined our global engagements are in every aspect of institutional life. From the global research projects led by our faculty, to our advocacy on global issues like climate change, to the international students whose presence helps enrich our classrooms and support faculty in innovation and discovery, there is much to celebrate on a campus like ours.

International Education Week takes on an even greater resonance this year because it is the 150th anniversary of international students enrolling at the University of Minnesota. This is a significant milestone, with the U of M being one of the earliest institutions to welcome international students. Our more than 5,700 current international students are a reflection of the University’s efforts to attract the best and the brightest. And our historical prominence as a global research university is due in no small measure to the immense contributions international students make to our teaching and research enterprise, as well as the campus and local community.

The recent election captured the attention not only of Americans, but of people around the world. This new administration will likely have major ramifications for global higher education, for international student and scholar mobility, and for the global research agenda. As such, the need for us to remain committed to our values of cross-cultural understanding, of collaborating across borders, and of advocating for a sustainable planet remains as urgent as ever.   

Looking forward, we plan to launch a strategic planning process focused on internationalization next spring. This process will engage a wide range of stakeholders throughout the system with the goal to develop a shared and more robust vision for an internationalized university that better aligns with the realities and the demands of the 21st century. I fully expect that the recommendations will move the University of Minnesota even further along the continuum of global engagement and advance our goal of preparing globally competent graduates.

The future of international education at the University of Minnesota holds a great deal of promise. I look forward to continuing to partner with you, our valued faculty and staff, as we seek to advance this important dimension of our University. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Harvey Charles, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for International Affairs