International Education Week 2011
The Buffalo State community will see the important role educators play in the global conversation during a celebration of International Education Week, November 14-18.
As part of a global initiative spearheaded by the U.S. departments of State and Education, Buffalo State faculty and staff are hosting a series of lectures, films, and discussions throughout the week. They will examine the past and the future of our intercultural connections on topics such as “Global Citizenship in Conflict Resolution” and “The Future and Graduate Education: The Need for Intercultural Competence.”
The International Student Affairs Office and the African and African American Studies Interdisciplinary Unit are cosponsoring the campus events.
“International Education Week has been going on for 12 years, and we have never done something of this nature on campus. It’s about time,” said Jean Gounard, director of International Student Affairs. “We have many faculty and staff members with international qualifications. It will be nice to hear what they are doing, what they have learned, and where they have been.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently proclaimed the state’s participation in the week, which aims to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States. Along with educational institutions, embassies, international organizations, businesses, associations, and community organizations are encouraged to participate.
In his proclamation, Cuomo noted, “We live in an increasingly interconnected world and improving global literacy contributes to the nation’s foreign policy, economic competitiveness, and national security.”
According to Cuomo’s office, the state of New York has 76,146 international students —the second largest number in the country. At Buffalo State, approximately 250 international students are currently enrolled.
Gounard and Aimable Twagilimana, professor of English and coordinator of the African and African American Studies Interdisciplinary Unit, pulled the weeklong event together quickly, with a wide representation of disciplines, from elementary education to English to technology.
The week’s activities begin at 3:00 p.m. Monday, November 14, with back-to-back lectures in Cleveland Hall. The celebration wraps up Friday, November 18, with a 7:00 p.m. Thanksgiving potluck dinner for international students/scholars and American host families in Campbell Student Union’s Assembly Hall. All events are free and open to the public.