Ohio University’s International Education Week 2020 to be celebrated virtually

International Education Week (IEW), hosted this year on Nov. 16-20, is an opportunity to celebrate international education and exchange worldwide. This year, in place of an on-campus event, the International Education Week Committee and Office of Global Affairs are hosting a virtual celebration to elevate the work of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni in our collective efforts to maintain Global Interconnectedness amid COVID-19. This year’s theme promotes and recognizes how we, as a university community, have maintained and strengthened our global and international engagement in a mostly virtual environment. 

In years past, the IEW Global Engagement Awards Ceremony celebrated faculty, staff, and alumni in recognition of the outstanding contributions to international education, global competency, cultural understanding, and/or international programs at Ohio University or in their fields or disciplines. In the revised virtual platform of IEW 2020, the Committee seeks participation from our Ohio University Community in three areas of engagement. 

Video storytelling

Featuring a 1-3 minute video in which participants share their own stories or recommend faculty, staff, students, or alumni whose stories might be highlighted during International Education Week.

Examples may include:
• Faculty members who have developed online courses, created experiential learning opportunities, or other content with a global or international component; 

• International research or global partnerships that have continued and flourished in a virtual-only environment; Highlight students who have participated in international research, coursework, or experiential learning while at home; 

• Recognize various support provided to international students during the pandemic; 

• Celebrate or acknowledge the work of our Fulbright Scholars or other prestigious international academic awards; 

• Recognize renowned alumni whose work has a global or international impact.

Videos submitted by Oct. 23 can receive University Communications and marketing (UCM) editing assistance; all other videos are requested by Oct. 30. The submitted videos will be uploaded on the IEW website, as well as various social media channels. 

Global Engagement Kudos

Kudos will be collected to celebrate and champion the impactful ways our OHIO community has thrived and creatively connected and supported our campus and global communities, despite the myriad of shifts in worldwide circumstances and new modalities of delivery. This spotlight-style recognition seeks to profile faculty, staff (classified and administrative), students, alumni and community members who are passionate about international education and are committed to supporting, building and sustaining connections that advance international engagement. The Global Engagement Kudos also recognize individuals dedicated to promoting cultural diversity and partnerships among the international community at Ohio University, in Athens, and globally. The 50-75 word submissions to nominate Kudos recipients are collected. The collected stories will be uploaded on the IEW website as well as various social media channels. Please give Kudos by Oct. 23 for full consideration.

Host your own event

Many units have annual plans for activities and events during IEW.  All virtual events hosted by Regional campuses, specific colleges or departments are encouraged to submit event details, featuring #OHIOIEW2020 and tagging the group “Office of Global Affairs” so that the event is effectively promoted. 

Closer to International Education Week in November, the IEW Committee will also invite individuals to further share in the celebration by highlighting more stories of global interconnectedness through a social media feature. 

For more information, please visit the International Education Week website.