UKIC Launches Communities of Global Specialists to Build UK's International Presence

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 31, 2015) — The University of Kentucky International Center is creating Communities of Global Specialists (CGS) for seven geographic regions to establish complex interdisciplinary teams that will allow UK to have a strong global presence at home and abroad.

According to Susan Carvalho, associate provost for internationalization, UK has many campus experts who lead thriving international projects, but those projects may walk away if the faculty member moves to another institution.

“We hope that some of those projects have the potential for turning into institutionally embedded programs rather than being owned by a single faculty member,” Carvalho said. “This will establish a shared foundation that will help us be more competitive when grant proposals and RFPs (requests for proposals) cross our desks and where external opportunities converge with our existing expertise.”

Carvalho identified three examples of outcomes that could mark the success of a strategic approach to partnerships:

1.      “Grand Challenge” grants, such as the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Grand Challenges for Development (GCD) grants, which tackle critical and complex development challenges.

2.      A successful and vibrant complex international partnership, such as, for example, Indiana University’s partnership with Moi University in Kenya. That partnership started in 1989, and now involves almost all colleges at IU and IUPUI. Together they have landed millions of dollars in grants that have helped build the infrastructure of what is now a very successful Kenyan university, and have provided opportunities for hundreds of students on both sides of the partnership.

3.      A Title VI (National Resource Center) interdisciplinary center. These centers are heavily funded by the Department of Education to create regional centers of expertise in the language and culture of particular countries or parts of the world. Many of UK's peer universities house one or more of these centers, but there are none in the state of Kentucky.

“These are goals that no single college can accomplish and that require interdisciplinary teams and expertise,” said Carvalho. “Of course, individual successes and college-based successes form the foundation for any of these types of programs — but these are three examples of what we mean about moving from projects to programs.”

The geographic regions comprising the CGSs include:

China

Asia

Latin America

Europe/Australia/New Zealand

Middle East/North Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa

Russia/Caucasus/Central Asia

UKIC has developed a web page for each region that includes a list of current and past projects, partnerships and a listserv.

Carvalho said the CGSs will showcase opportunities that already exist for students and create new opportunities for students to address global challenges.

“The Clinton Global Initiative is an example of the harnessing of young people’s vision and innovation in addressing the problems of their generation,” Carvalho said. “So as we build these communities, we can connect students with engaged and meaningful problem-solving opportunities.”

In addition to serving current UK students, the CGSs can also help recruit prospective, high-quality international students to UK’s campus.

“We will always be looking to build on connections, pipelines and networks to engage with international high schools and build UK's brand globally,” said Carvalho.

For more information please contact Ismaila Ceesay, manager of international partnerships, at: ismaila.ceesay@uky.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Rebecca Stratton and Blair Hoover, 859=323-2395; Rebecca.stratton@uky.edu