International Education Week events set for Nov. 16, 18

The slate of activities for the college’s 4th annual celebration of Comparative and International Education Week (Nov. 16-20) is set:

Monday, Nov. 16 — International Education Colloquium: 11:30 a.m. — 1 p.m., Terrace Room. All interested faculty, students and staff are invited to this brown-bag lunch gathering to share international education experiences and activities and discuss future strategies and activities for “internationalizing the college.”

Wednesday, Nov. 18 – Comparative and International Education Week Celebration–“Internationalizing UF”: 12:30-3:30 p.m., Terrace Room. Keynote speaker will be Dr. David Sammons, dean of UF’s International Center. A college faculty panel discussion will follow.

pair of hands holding a glass globe with neon green and blue colorsThe Nov. 16 colloquium also serves as the first gathering of the college’s newly formed International and Comparative Education Learning Community, which so far numbers about 20 faculty as members—many involved in international research, teaching and outreach. The group will meet each semester to share, collaborate and pursue a collegewide international focus. Anyone may attend and participate.

The Nov. 18 celebration event starts at 12:30 p.m. with free lunch and entertainment provided, and includes a poster session. From 1-2 p.m., Sammons will detail his plans for internationalizing the university and his expectations for involvement from each college. At 2:30, a College of Education faculty panel will respond to Sammons’ presentation in an active discussion with COE deans and the International Center head about practical ways to integrate international and comparative perspectives into college programming, curriculi, research and conversations. Faculty panel members include: Maria Coady, Linda Jones, Thomas Oakland, Edil Torres-Rivera and Cirecie West-Olatunji.

COE Student Affairs sponsors the college’s yearly International Education Week activities, Theresa Vernetson, assistant dean of student affairs, and School of Teaching and Learning assistant scholar John Bailey coordinate the effort. The college’s activities, based on a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education, honors a worldwide celebration of Comparative and International Education Week.