Office of International Affairs
The Office of International Affairs is IUPUI’s hub for international activities, working to bring IUPUI to the world and the world to IUPUI.
During the 2013-14 academic year, the Office of International Affairs contributed to IUPUI campus goals through the successes described below and most notably:
- A record enrollment of 1,837 international students and increased short-term international visitors;
- Expanded offerings of study abroad programs and global learning opportunities;
- Increased support for international students through the new International Host Program, International Peer Mentoring Program, and broader campus-wide programming;
- Enhanced community partnerships for a global Indianapolis through the Global Cities Exchange Initiative; and,
- Strengthened international partnerships.
The Success of our Students
- IUPUI enrolled a record 1,837 international students, up 15 percent from Fall 2013. International students now comprise 6 percent of the total IUPUI enrollment. For the first time, the number of students from India surpassed those from China.
- The ten countries sending the most students are India, 423; China, 406; Saudi Arabia, 355; Egypt, 67; South Korea, 62; Japan, 42; Iran, 39; Taiwan, 36; Mexico, 28; and Canada, 27.
- Participation in IUPUI’s short-term visiting international student programs nearly tripled in 2013-14, reflecting broader trends in international student mobility. Notable increases were from the Meiji University School of Global Japanese Studies and new programs in collaboration with the Japan Study Abroad Foundation, the Brazil Science Mobility Program, and Symbiosis International University, India.
- Visiting student numbers went from 2012-13: Japan (9), Brazil (3), and India (0), to 2013-14 totals: Japan (23), Brazil (9), and India (3).) Further strong growth is anticipated for 2014-15.
- A record number of eleven IUPUI spring break study abroad programs operated in March 2014, up from seven programs in 2013. New programs were created by the Kelley School of Business in the UK and Liberia and by the IUPUC School of Liberal Arts in the UK.
- More than 400 IUPUI’s Spring/Summer graduates participated in study abroad programs (6 percent of all graduates), reflecting efforts to prepare students to compete on a global playing field in the 21st century.
- IUPUI graduate Amanda Smell (’14) received a prestigious Fulbright grant through the English Teaching Assistants program in Germany. Smell, an English major, will teach for one year while serving as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. This marks the first time that a student representing IUPUI has been selected for the competitive award.
- The International Peer Mentoring Program served a record number of students with 105 incoming international students receiving mentorship, up from 76 the previous year. Twenty-one peer mentors worked in teams to provide mentorship and received extensive leadership training.
- Students with international experience gained strong representation in IUPUI’s Top 100 Students program:
- 47 of the 2014 Top 100 students studied abroad, up from 34 in 2013.
- 14 of the Top 100 students list a country of origin other than the United States.
- 12 are current or former International Peer Mentoring Program mentors
- IUPUI’s commencement ceremonies featured student speaker Emily Potts, an Honors College graduate who studied abroad four times during her undergraduate experience. Potts majored in biology and Spanish, and plans to pursue a career in global health.
Contributions to the Well-Being of the Citizens of Indianapolis, the State of Indiana, and Beyond
- IUPUI joined the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce to lead the Global Cities Initiative Exchange, a citywide project creating actionable plans to promote global trade and competitiveness over the next four years. Supported by Brookings and JP Morgan Chase, the initiative selected Indianapolis in a cohort of seven cities across the U.S. that will design and implement export plans and expand global engagement over the next four years. IUPUI will collaborate with community leaders to enhance the initiative through providing research and analysis on exports, trade and investment, and perspective on preparing our work force for a 21st century economy.
- The IUPUI Solution Center and the Office of International Affairs coordinated Indianapolis’ successful application to the initiative.
- Gil Latz, Associate Vice Chancellor of International Affairs, serves on project’s core team.
- The IUPUI offices of alumni relations and international affairs jointly launched an International Host Program to bring together international students and IUPUI alumni. More than 60 international students were paired with IUPUI alumni and engaged in monthly events throughout the year. Alumni provide friendship and support for international students attending IUPUI, and international students share their culture and diverse backgrounds with IUPUI’s local alumni network.
- On March 27, 2014, IUPUI hosted a lecture by Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer. Ambassador Dermer discussed Israel’s role in the Middle East to audience members from IUPUI and Indianapolis community. The Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council cosponsored the lecture and coordinated the Ambassador’s visit to Indianapolis.
- IUPUI also hosted a lecture by Dr. Bill Mullen on April 4, 2014, entitled, “BDS and the Battle for Justice in Palestine.” Dr. Mullen is a Professor of English and American Studies at Purdue University. Christians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East cosponsored the event.
- To raise awareness of growing diversity at IUPUI and students from an Arab cultural background, the Office of International Affairs hosted a series of events entitled “Being Arab: An Exploration of Arab Culture and Society” in March 2014. Film screenings, lectures, and panel discussions provided information about Arab culture. “A Is for Arab: Stereotypes in U.S. Popular Culture,” a traveling exhibition exposing stereotypical portrayals of Arabs and Muslims in U.S., was on display in partnership with the Multicultural Center, Division of Student Affairs and IUPUI student organizations.
- A “Global Learning” track was added to the prestigious Assessment Institute presented by the IUPUI Office of Planning and Institutional Improvement on October 27-29, 2013. Internationalization experts from around the U.S. joined IUPUI presenters to address topics including evaluation of global learning outcomes and frameworks for assessing global institutions.
- IUPUI pledged to increase the number of undergraduate students who study abroad by 25 percent over the next five years by joining Generation Study Abroad. This commitment is an initiative of the Institute of International Education to increase the number of American students who study overseas. In 2012-13, 357 IUPUI students participated in study abroad programs.
- The Office of International re-opened the Global Crossroadsvideoconferencing facility with the latest technology supporting international learning, dialogue and partnership. The interactive video and audio equipment allow for face-to-face distance communications and is used for international courses and lectures. The initiative is funded by the IUPUI Office of International Affairs, University Information Technology Services and a Learning Environment Grant from the IUPUI Center for Teaching and Learning.
- The 10th annual IUPUI International Festival was held on February 27, 2014, with significant community and campus-wide participation from diverse groups. Two faculty and staff members received the Sutton Award for Study Abroad for their outstanding contributions to advancing study abroad at IUPUI.
- IUPUI’s connections to Japan continued to expand with a campus visit from Mr. Shigeru Hayakawa, Senior Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation and the former President of Toyota Motor North America. Facilitated by the Office of International Affairs and Kelley School of Business Indianapolis, Mr. Hayakawa presented on Toyota’s global operations and strategy to IUPUI business and engineering students on February 27, 2014.
- IUPUI’s collaboration with Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya continued to grow.
- IUPUI’s Office of International Affairs and School of Physical Education and Tourism Management co-sponsored the MUKESCO Peace Run in Kenya with other community partners. The race focused on building peace and understanding between nine running teams representing villages surrounding Moi University. Race prizes were community assets, including a well for one village and school uniforms for all children.
- The Schools of Education IU and Moi University held their second annual Faculty Symposium on Research and Teaching on October 29 and 30, 2013, at IUPUI. The event brought together faculty to share their research, teaching interests and scholarship, related to this year’s theme “Interrogating Educational Policy and Practice in Kenya and the U.S.”
- AMPATH (Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare), an international consortium of universities working in Kenya led by the IU School of Medicine, served its one millionth Kenyan through its perpetual home-based counseling and testing program (pHCT). With the recent milestone, AMPATH is half-way to the goal of serving two million Kenyans in the area near Eldoret.
- Four Bioethics practicum students from Moi University participated in research and mentoring programs at IUPUI.
- IUPUI’s collaboration with Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) in Guangzhou, China continued to advance.
- Senior leaders from SYSU and IUPUI formed a Cooperative Development Committee that began high-level annual meetings to broaden collaboration.
- Student engagement continued across several collaborative 2+2 dual degree programs (Business, Computer & Information Science, and Mechanical Engineering).
- Partnership agreements exist with eight IUPUI schools and units (Philanthropy, Science, Public and Environmental Affairs, Medicine, Engineering & Technology, Informatics & Computing, Education, Business and International Affairs).
- Study abroad programs and student exchanges continued to operate between both universities. IUPUI students studying Sociology and Nursing visited SYSU through short-term programs. SYSU students from Law and Social Work also visited IUPUI for summer study abroad experiences. Additionally, 13 medical students from SYSU participated in senior elective rotations at the IU School of Medicine.
- SYSU continues as an active supporting partner to the Confucius Institute of Indianapolis on the IUPUI campus.
- Collaboration expanded with Symbiosis International University in Pune, India, with emerging activity and high-level faculty exchanges from the schools of law, informatics, engineering and public affairs. Three visiting students from Symbiosis studied at the School of Engineering & Technology.
- IUPUI continued an international strategic planning process engaging stakeholder across campus and in the community through the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Internationalization Laboratory. Peer reviews from ACE visited IUPUI in March and provided feedback on a comprehensive report developed by IUPUI.
- In alignment with the IUPUI Strategic Plan “Our Commitment to Indiana and Beyond” and IU International Plan, a campus-wide IUPUI international plan will be released in late 2014.
- In 2012, IUPUI was selected to join the ACE cohort of universities forming a learning community assisting them in developing international plans.
- The IUPUI Offices of International Affairs and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sent a team of faculty to the ACE “At Home in the World Institute,” an initiative designed to expand collaboration between diversity/multicultural education and internationalization in higher education. In alignment with the IUPUI Strategic Plan and forthcoming International Plan, the faculty group will continue to explore efforts to advance the cultural competency of IUPUI students.
- Two IUPUI faculty, Ian McIntosh (Office of International Affairs), Khadija Khaja (Social Work) and Lindsay Littrell (Social Work) were selected to attend the Kroc Institute’s Annual Summer Institute, “Teaching Peace in the 21st Century.” The Summer Institute brings together academics who want to launch a peace studies program, strengthen or develop a new dimension to a peace studies program, or move an established peace studies program to the next level of design and rigor.
- Gil Latz, Associate Vice Chancellor of International Affairs, was appointed to the board of the Japan-America Society of Indiana, a nonprofit organization expanding relationships between the people of Indiana and Japan.