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From Ethiopia to Indiana: progress on business incubation initiative

Posted on by Lexi Baker

Indiana University and Ethiopian university leaders in front of the Sample Gates
Representatives from IU, Bahir Dar and Debre Markos Universities meet at the Sample Gates

This summer, Indiana University welcomed the presidents of Bahir Dar (BDU) and Debre Markos (DMU) universities who shared progress and pride in the Partnership in Business Entrepreneurship and Leadership Transformation (PiBELT) initiative. This two-year project is funded by a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It focuses on developing Ethiopia’s innovation ecosystem by implementing entrepreneurial curricula in their universities, training students and young entrepreneurs in business and innovation strategies, and strengthening collaborations between local and American enterprises. The two Ethiopian universities have partnered with IU and Ivy Tech to design, develop, and explore capacity-building experiences for university administration and program participants.

Teshome Alemneh and members of the delegation on Kirkwood Avenue.

“The collaboration continues to enhance IU’s global engagement and visibility while contributing to improving business entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as higher education leadership capacity development at Ethiopian universities. This not only enables partner institutions to be more responsive to local development challenges, but provides an opportunity for Indiana to engage with emerging creative thinkers from Africa,” said Associate Vice President for International Research and Development Teshome Alemneh.

This site visit to Indiana fulfills just one of many goals outlined in the project. In developing a network of support and innovation with U.S. businesses, select cohorts of Bahir Dar and Debre Markos collaborated with IU and Ivy Tech Bloomington’s Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship to gain insights into business start-ups in Indiana, and further developed cultural and professional relations between the universities through experience-sharing and discussions. These strategic conversations with academic and administrative units across IU aim to engage university leaders from Ethiopia in fostering long-term success, sustainability, and self-reliance for entrepreneurship activities.

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IU’s Global Gateway announces two new academic directors

Posted on by Brittaney Hartzer

Indiana University’s Global Gateway Network welcomes two IU faculty members to the team this semester. Professors Purnima Bose and Faridah Pawan will serve as academic director of the India and ASEAN Gateways respectively. They join a committed team of faculty and staff experts in each of the five Gateway countries and in Indiana who connect and support IU’s interactions around the globe.

Our academic directors play a critical role in IU’s global engagement by providing expert knowledge and advice to university leadership, and by helping connect our faculty and students find research and learning opportunities in their respective gateway country or region. Both Purnima and Faridah are highly respected scholars, their research is truly international and interdisciplinary, and I am certain both will contribute enormously to deepening IU’s engagement in India and across the ASEAN region.

Ally Batten, executive director, Global Gateway Network

IU India Gateway, New Delhi

Purnima Bose headshot.

“I am delighted to work with IU colleagues and those in India on academic initiatives that will enhance our knowledge of the subcontinent and increase global cooperation. I welcome the opportunity to connect students, faculty, and alumni in Indiana and India through the IU India Gateway, which is located in New Delhi, a historic city of magnificent monuments and vibrant universities.”

Professor Bose’s research has focused on exploring questions of agency, subjectivity, and conflict within larger geopolitical frameworks. She is the author of Organizing Empire: Individualism, Collective Agency, and India and Intervention Narratives: Afghanistan, the United States, and the Global War on Terror Her essays on Indian nationalism, the Indian diaspora, and conflict have appeared in journals, including Genders, The Journal of South Asian History and Culture, The Global South, and Situations: Cultural Studies in the Asian Context.

Her administrative experience includes chairing the International Studies Department for five years and directing the Cultural Studies Program for eight years.

IU ASEAN Gateway, Bangkok

Faridah Pawan headshot

“This is an exciting time for the IU ASEAN Gateway in Bangkok. The office is actively engaged with alumni and higher education institutions in the 10 member countries. I look forward to working with IU and ASEAN colleagues in support of continuing efforts to build academic capacity and promote internationalization and student mobility between our respective institutions.”

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Building community resilience to climate shocks in the Indian Himalayan region

Posted on by Minu Thomas

Participants and speakers gather in Dehradun, India

It’s a known fact that climate change is impacting the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) and that imposes cascading effects on local food and water security. Addressing the human, environmental, and communal toll these changes create will take communities coming together across boundaries: exactly like what happened this September at the IU India Gateway. After 20 months of planning, a team of experts from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), including faculty from the Department of Earth Sciences and Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, visited India to deliver panel discussions and workshops on the theme of Climate Shocks in the Indian Himalayan Region.

The initiative consisted of three phases that took place over four months. Phase I was conducted virtually in August 2022 and included an introduction to speakers, workshop orientation, and a prelude to the theme to prepare for the in-person events in Phase II.

In September 2022, the IU India Gateway and TERI School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS) planned a week of activities across disciplines focused on the UN Sustainable Goals (SDGs), specifically goals 2 (Zero hunger), 5 (Gender Equality), 13 (Climate Action), and 17 (Partnerships to achieve the Goal). This project brought scientists, activists, scholars, and civil servants together and was funded by Indiana University’s Global Impact Research Grant (GIRG) and the IU Global Gateway Grants.

Dehradun, workshop participants in action
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The red, the fat, the learned, and ME!

Posted on by dburke01

This post was originally published on August 8, 2022 as a part of IU East Professor of Spanish Dianne Moneypenny’s sabbatical blog, S*uh*battical. Emphasis on the “uh?” She participated in a 2022 Faculty Exchange Program funded by the Office of the Vice President of International Affairs (IU Global). You can read her complete story as well as insights into the process of applying and organizing the exchange on her blog. Faculty at all IU campuses can apply for an academic year 2023-24 exchange program now!

I was so fortunate to receive the IU Faculty Exchange with the University of Bologna in Bologna, Italy. UniBo, established in 1088, is the oldest university in Europe and it is nestled in the region Emilia Romana. Bologna is known as both the land of slow food and fast cars and as the red, the fat, and the learned. Red is for their red wine, fat is from their famous cured meats, and the learned is for UniBo. While I was there, I personally experienced the red wine, the fat (though as a vegetarian it was just from the overall DELICIOUS food), and the learned as I conducted scholarly research on medieval women in Iberian/Mediterranean food culture. I could not have imagined a better place to research food studies.

Ornately decorated reading room of the Palatine Library in Parma, Italy

The major focus of my research exchange was a 15th century text housed in the Palatine Library in Parma, Italy. It was a short train ride from Bologna. It was an amazing opportunity and had this been the only part of my research findings, it would have sufficed. But I got to experience and learn so much more. To the left is an image of the incredible (yet un-airconditioned) reading room. After some confusion upon check in (I had emailed the library weeks ago informing them of my upcoming visit to be sure I had all paperwork in order to be able to access the text, but had never received a response), I was allowed in with my trusty assistant, my husband Gordon.

I requested the text and the librarian brought it out from storage and handed it to me…in all the 15th century leathered glory. The Manual de mujeres was in my hands-literally see photo to the right! I requested gloves, which sent the whole library into a tizzy as they tried to locate a pair.

Glasses-wearing Moneypenny smiling while holding a leather-bound book up to the camera
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IU welcomes international students for 2022-23 school year

Posted on by Lexi Baker

Mingling at the Ice Cream Social.
Carrying on the tradition of painting the bridge.
Having fun with new friends at the photo booth.

Last month, Indiana University welcomed more than 7,400 international students to its campuses across the state, the largest number since 2019. Before they even make their way to campus, staff from IUB’s Office of International Services and IUPUI’s Office of International Affairs are there to greet them at the Indianapolis International Airport during peak travel times. Students arrived by August 10th to give them plenty of time to settle in before the start of classes and participate in a wide range of activities to prepare them for success and help them get comfortable in their new homes in Indiana. IUPUI and IU Bloomington hosted international new student orientation, a week of dedicated in-person events on both core campuses designed specifically to support students from around the world.

The new class includes students from 167 countries of origin across all six inhabited continents. For students arriving from all over the world, adjusting to life and study in the U.S. can bring challenges, which is why international student-specific orientations are so important. “They get to learn about IU’s campus, culture, and traditions,” explains Mai-Lin Poon, Associate Director of International Student Life at IU Bloomington. “They learn what it means to be a Hoosier, meet people and make friends, learn helpful hints on how to be successful during their college career – and so much more.” 

“They learn what it means to be a Hoosier, meet people and make friends, learn helpful hints on how to be successful during their college career – and so much more.” 

Bloomington international students kicked off their experience with a tailgate in Dunn Meadow, hosted by Residential Programs and Services (RPS), with food trucks and inflatable obstacle courses. Subsequent days featured an ice cream social, international trivia in the Indiana Memorial Union (IMU), and an opportunity to continue one of IU’s traditions –painting the campus bridge on Eagleson Avenue. Bloomington’s First Year Experience (FYE) Welcome Week also featured zip lining and roller skating at Welcome Back Late Nite, and movie screenings in the IU outdoor pool. 

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Global Classroom welcomes a new cohort of Fellows for fall 2022

Posted on by Lexi Baker

Indiana University is proud to announce the Global Classroom Fellows for fall 2022. The five faculty members selected for the Fall 2022 semester are currently teaching courses across a wide range of disciplines, encouraging engagement with international partners, and connecting students across the world.

The Global Classroom initiative promotes global competency and international engagement from home. The program utilizes classes that are already being taught at IU and pairs faculty members with a parallel course taught at a foreign partner institution; The faculty members work together to design a project that students from both universities collaborate on virtually. The initiative aims to widen students’ breadth of knowledge regarding different cultures, norms, and points of view, and to foster global connections and understanding.

The Fellows worked closely with their international counterparts on collaborative lesson planning before the semester began, designing a project that required their students to work together then reflect on course outcomes when the semester concludes.

“The Global Classroom program provides enriching experiences for our own IU students, the students from the partner institutions, and for the Global Classroom fellows who teach those courses,” says Vesna Dimitrieska, director of the initiative. “In today’s interconnected world, being globally aware and internationally connected is no longer a matter of choice, but rather an imperative for all of us.”

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Indiana University is proud to announce the Global Classroom Fellows for fall 2022. The five faculty members selected for the Fall 2022 semester are currently teaching courses across a wide range of disciplines, encouraging engagement with international partners, and connecting students across the world.

The Global Classroom initiative promotes global competency and international engagement from home. The program utilizes classes that are already being taught at IU and pairs faculty members with a parallel course taught at a foreign partner institution; The faculty members work together to design a project that students from both universities collaborate on virtually. The initiative aims to widen students’ breadth of knowledge regarding different cultures, norms, and points of view, and to foster global connections and understanding.

The Fellows worked closely with their international counterparts on collaborative lesson planning before the semester began, designing a project that required their students to work together then reflect on course outcomes when the semester concludes.

“The Global Classroom program provides enriching experiences for our own IU students, the students from the partner institutions, and for the Global Classroom fellows who teach those courses,” says Vesna Dimitrieska, director of the initiative. “In today’s interconnected world, being globally aware and internationally connected is no longer a matter of choice, but rather an imperative for all of us.”

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Interdisciplinary conference at the IU Europe Gateway explores the history of women, religion, and emotions in modern Germany

Posted on by Annabell Türk

A group of 23 people are posing in front of a colorful mural outside
Workshop participants posing for a group picture at the IU Europe Gateway

An IU-organized “Workshop on the History of Women, Religion, and Emotions in Modern Germany” brought together 27 scholars from ten different countries at the IU Europe Gateway this summer to explore the diverse aspects of women’s religious experiences in 19th and 20th century Germany.

The idea for the conference was born out of a seminar on women and religion offered by the German Studies Association in 2018 that both conference organizers Lisa Fetheringill Zwicker, professor of history at IU South Bend’s School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Martina Cucchiara, associate professor of history at Bluffton University, had attended. The two history scholars subsequently kept in touch and continued to meet on Zoom to collaborate and share their work.

“In this conference, we aimed to explore the intersections of women’s religion, women’s emotions, and history,” explained Zwicker. “Martina and I wanted to bring these issues to the forefront as too often the religious dimensions of women’s lives have been ignored.” They were also hoping to create new conversations around these questions by bringing together different religion scholars, including those studying Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant religious experiences.

Lisa Zwicker and Martina Cucchiara are standing behind a lectern while Lisa is speaking
Co-organizers Lisa Zwicker and Martina Cucchiara
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Overseas Study celebrates 50 years and honors Kathleen Sideli

Posted on by Caleb Gardner

This year marks the 50-year anniversary of IU’s Office of Overseas Study. The university celebrated this milestone at a reception that also honored Associate Vice President Kathleen Sideli for her distinguished career and 40 years of dedicated service to the university as well as her contributions and leadership more broadly in the field of international education.

While Indiana University’s rich history of study abroad dates back to 1879, the administration of such programs was under the purview of individual faculty and departments, primarily within the College of Arts and Sciences. In the fall of 1972, with Walter T. K. Nugent as its director, the Office of Overseas Study was established as a university-wide office to facilitate study abroad for students of any major, IU school, or campus. In total, about 70,000 IU students have studied abroad in dozens of countries on almost every continent. Most recently, before the pandemic, IU Bloomington was ranked fifth in the nation for the absolute number of students studying abroad and third for those completing semester-long programs. Most notably, thirty percent of IUB seniors graduating in 2020-21 had at least one credit-bearing study abroad experience while at IU.

A tribute to the major milestones of IU’s study abroad programs dating back to 1879.
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Mandela Washington Fellowship returns to Indiana University in summer 2022

Posted on by Brittaney Hartzer

The 2022 Mandela Washington Fellows pose for a group picture at IU Bloomington’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies

Indiana University is proud to announce its selection as an Institute Partner for the 2022 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. On June 8, Indiana University welcomed 24 of Africa’s bright, emerging civic engagement leaders and is hosting a six-week Leadership Institute, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement. YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa. Since 2014, the U.S. Department of State has supported nearly 5,100 Mandela Washington Fellows from across Sub-Saharan Africa to develop their leadership skills and foster connections and collaboration with U.S. professionals. The cohort of Fellows hosted by Indiana University will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 27 educational institutions across the United States.

After their Leadership Institutes, Fellows will participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit, where they will take part in networking and panel discussions with each other and with U.S. leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Following the Summit, up to 100 competitively-selected Fellows will participate in four weeks of professional development with U.S. non-governmental organizations, private companies, and government agencies.

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IU names new associate vice president for Overseas Study

Posted on by Brittaney Hartzer

Indiana University has named Jennifer Engel, Ph.D. as its new associate vice president for the Office of Overseas Study, effective July 1. She will provide leadership and a university-wide vision to enhance international awareness and understanding, enrich curricula on every campus, and expand educational opportunities abroad for students from diverse backgrounds.

Engel is taking the helm of an office that has become a nationally recognized leader in overseas study under the forty-year leadership of Kathleen Sideli, who will retire in June. Building on a history of faculty-initiated study abroad programs dating back to the 19th century, it now supervises more than 380 administered, co-sponsored, and unit-based programs across all IU campuses. IU Bloomington is ranked sixth in the nation for total number of students studying abroad and second for semester-long programs, according to the most recent Institute for International Education Open Doors Report.

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