The UCLA International Institute is celebrating International Education Week 2017 from Nov. 13–17 with a week showcasing the UCLA programs and resources available to students, among other events.
One of the major goals of Cindy Fan, UCLA vice provost for international studies and global engagement, who oversees the International Institute, is to enable as many UCLA students as possible — regardless of discipline or major — to gain international experience via campus classes, study abroad programs, international research, internships and work opportunities.
International experience opens students’ lives to new perspectives and other cultures. Studying and volunteering abroad teaches Bruins that people the world over have a stake in one another’s success and share many problems that require global perspectives and collaborative solutions.
The UCLA International Institute seeks to prepare a new generation of leaders who have direct experience of the world. In addition to helping them study or intern abroad, that means encouraging students to study the histories, politics and cultures of other countries, to master foreign languages and to develop the cultural sensitivity to work effectively with people across borders. All of these goals, together with the campus units that support them, are celebrated during International Education Week, an initiative of the U.S. departments of state and education.
UCLA offers a broad array of international resources that include the UCLA Study Abroad/International Education Office and the many internationally oriented degree programs and research centers across campus (including those offered by the UCLA International Institute), all of which are supported by the UCLA Library.
Campus resources also include programs that promote global connection, international understanding and cultural sensitivity at the Dashew Center for International Scholars and Students, as well as activities and events offered by the Office of Residential Life that support international students in undergraduate residence halls and graduate housing.
In addition, many UCLA student associations are international in nature, including those that highlight the contributions of international students to campus life, such as the International Student Leadership Coalition, and those that focus on international performing arts, discussions of international topics and development projects in foreign countries.
Together with a team of campus partners and 23 cosponsors, the International Institute has planned a weeklong celebration of international education. People can visit the International Education Week 2017 website to learn about special events, read articles about students who have studied abroad and find links to the ongoing 2017 Study Abroad Photo and Short Film Contest.
Students, faculty and staff are invited to speak directly with international students at the Powell Library Conservation Café, see an exciting night of student performances at Bruins Around the World, attend the International Education Resource Fair and Information Sessions (including presentations on available fellowships and scholarships), enjoy international coffees and teas at the World Café and sign up for trainings and events offered by the Dashew Center.
Students are encouraged to participate in the UCLA in a Map event and The World at UCLA open mic and storytelling night, as well as the Peace Corps information session and international career panel. Throughout the week of November 13–17, current students can also take a free martial arts class at the John Wooden Center. And UCLA Extension students are encouraged to attend a special reception just for them.