The first undergraduate cohort of students began their KU classes earlier this month for The Joint Institute between Zhejiang Normal University in China and the KU School of Education and Human Sciences.

On April 1, a group of 58 students started with intensive English. Marina Greene, longtime faculty member with the Applied English Center, developed and is teaching the course. While the first cohort is taking the course online, future cohorts will have the benefit of in-person instruction by KU faculty members in Jinhua, China.

Finalized by Chinese officials in May and approved by the Kansas Board of Regents in June, the partnership between KU and ZJNU is the first-ever joint institute in the field of education between the United States and China. 

The program will offer a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degrees in special education, curriculum and instruction, and educational psychology and research. All students will begin their KU studies with an intensive English course taught by the AEC. 

Over summer and the fall, KU plans to send faculty from the AEC, School of Education and Human Sciences, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to China to teach the cohort.

Julie Taylor, director of academic relations for Fulbright Programs at the Institute of International Education, visited the Lawrence campus earlier this week.

During her time at KU, Taylor, pictured left, met with senior leadership to discuss KU's support of faculty applying for Fulbright Scholar awards and with students who are interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Program. 

She also connected with international Fulbright students and foreign language teaching assistants. Taylor ended her visit with a reception that brought together KU's Fulbright community and included welcoming remarks from Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer. 

KU said goodbye to 16 Chinese faculty members from Zhejiang Normal University at a farewell reception in March. Representing multiple academic fields, the group had been at KU since September to observe and learn more about the U.S. higher education system and teaching methods.

Through a program managed by International Short Programs, the faculty members received instruction from the Applied English Center, took a course on teaching methods from the Center for Teaching Excellence, networked with faculty from across campus and attended various campus activities, including a women’s basketball game.

The experience allowed ZJNU faculty to update their syllabi and teaching practices and connect with U.S. higher education professionals in their field.

Eighteen Japanese students studying English language and culture at Kansai University arrived at KU in March for a nine-month program 

Through a program managed by International Short Programs, the students are taking classes at the Applied English Center and will enroll in academic courses in the fall and engage in work and volunteer opportunities with local organizations that provide experience with food insecurity, event planning, elderly care and young adult interaction. The group will join in various KU activities and travel to Branson, Missouri in May.

Last month a reception was held to welcome the Japanese students, who were greeted by the Applied English Center, Japanese Student Association, Center for East Asian Studies and other student organizations.

The Office of Faculty Affairs invites faculty to take a day (or several) to reflect on their strengths, anticipate challenges, grow their skills and learn something new before summer takes off. Held from May 13 -17, the Faculty Development Academies are day-long sessions, focused on a particular topic, giving faculty time to delve deep and develop a core capacity in a chosen area. 

This year, global engagement is the focus of the second day. At the session, slated for Tuesday, May 14, experts from KU International Affairs, the Institute for International and Global Engagement and the Provost Fellow for Internationalization will introduce a range of international activities that are available at KU. 

Faculty members will learn how to internationalize their experience as well as the student experience and will hear hear about the resources available to build internationalization initiatives into their plans. 

KU Faculty Development Academies Week is open to all faculty at all ranks and classifications. Participants are welcome to register for as many dates as they’d like. Breakfast lunch, and snacks will be provided. All academies days take place on the Lawrence campus.

Please register by Monday, May 6.

>> Learn more about each day and register

Mehrangiz Najafizadeh accepted the 2023 George and Eleanor Woodyard Award at a presentation and reception on April 9 in the Kansas Union's Big 12 Room. The award recognized Najafizadeh's collaboration and connection with scholars in Eurasia and Central Asia and efforts to build international partnerships as well as her contribution to KU's area studies centers and excellence in teaching. 

During her presentation, Najafizadeh, associate professor of sociology, spoke about her research on the emergence of Azeri-language printed media in the late 1800s and early 1900s and its connection to gender issues and sociopolitical change. 

Pictured above Najafizadeh, center right, stands with Megan Greene, selection committee chair and professor of history; Charles Bankart, senior internationalization officer; and Eleanor Woodyard. 

Jack Zhang, assistant professor of political science, was honored as the inaugural recipient of the KU International Affairs Advisory Board International Teaching Award at a presentation and reception on April 18 in the Kansas Union's Big 12 Room.

Zhang was recognized for his innovation in incorporating international education in the classroom. Zhang spoke about the importance of international education and the creation of his Trade War Lab and subsequent speaker series, which leveraged partnerships and networks to bring more than 20 scholars to campus to engage in international topics. 

This spring the International Affairs Advisory Board International Teaching Award was recognized as part of the collection of University Teaching Awards administered by the Office of Faculty Affairs. With this transition, the nomination deadline for the International Teaching Award is extended to Friday, May 24, 2024.

Nominations must include a letter of support; a résumé or vitae for the nominee; and up to six statements of support from KU colleagues, students and/or partners abroad.

>> More details on the nomination process

The International Affairs Advisory Board International Teaching Award recognizes KU faculty members who have provided outstanding and sustained leadership in international education through their teaching, advocacy and mentorship at KU, thereby broadening the student experience to be more inclusive of the world.

The award includes $1,000 in funding for professional activities and is financially supported by the advisory board of KU International Affairs in recognition of the faculty member’s ongoing efforts to internationalize their teaching and create transformative models that inspire colleagues to engage in the internationalization of their own curricula and instructional efforts. 

Pictured top left: Rachel Lawler. Pictured top right: Preston Means. Pictured above, left to right, front row: Ketty Wong, Kaitlyn Moore, Sivani Badrivenkata, and Lawler. Back row: Diana Nguyen, Larissa Thome, Means, Gustavo Moreira and Samuel Harder.

Encompassing a wide range of topics from around the world, 11 KU seniors presented their internationally focused research at the Global Scholars Research Symposium on April 11.

The symposium showcased the seniors’ research on a diverse set of topics, including the role of plastic in ’80s-era South Korean art, racial disparities in the outcomes of melanoma patients, how identity shapes perceptions of and experiences in Tokyo’s square-shaped gay bar district Shinjuku Ni-chōme, and the use of the lactoferrin protein in preventing vaginal E. coli infections during pregnancy and childbirth.

Most of the seniors who presented are members of the 2022 cohort of Global Scholars. As sophomores the students were selected for their demonstrated interest in global and international studies and potential for continued high academic achievement and leadership. As part of the program, students participated in the semester-long seminar course Music and Migration, taught by Ketty Wong, associate professor of ethnomusicology.

>> Read more about the Global Scholars' research

Nearly 500 students, staff, faculty and community members attended the 2024 International Jayhawk Festival, which celebrated KU's diverse countries and cultures. The event included seven international performances, 45 organizations who tabled, free t-shirts and food from Lucky Seb's Dumpling Bar & Grill, Angeles Panaderia Mexican Restaurant & Bakery, and the Kansas Union. 

Held in the Burge Union, the festival provided an opportunity for students to meet with advisors from study abroad, discuss academic programs with area studies representatives and language departments, connect with foreign language clubs, explore international career opportunities and learn about international student organizations.

>> See more photos

Join us in recognizing the Class of 2024 at the International Student Graduation Celebration on Friday, May 10. The ceremony will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom with a reception to follow.

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