Global Engagement as Professional Development in Higher Education

Students in higher education should be given tools to navigate the dissolution of geographical and cultural boundaries that has been brought on by media and technology.

This project is based on three iterations of Faculty Learning Communities (FLC) that explored international immersions as a tool for university faculty and staff professional development as well as numerous international virtual exchanges and study abroad programs. The contributors explore how faculty and staff in higher education can use international immersion experiences and global virtual collaborations as professional development opportunities to become global educators. These contributions explore questions relating to how educators can become better global citizens in their research methods, projects, and agendas; questions such as: What is internationalization in the university setting? What justice issues arise with internationalization of curriculum and campuses? How does internationalization help or hinder interdisciplinary learning and teaching? What global frameworks are most helpful in this work? This volume presents opportunities to develop the cultural competencies of faculty and staff in higher education to provide meaningful professional development.

Delane Bender-Slack is Professor in the School of Education at Xavier University, Ohio, USA.