Courtesy of UCR Today

UCR’s International Education Week took place from Monday, Nov. 7 to Thursday, Nov. 10. The week consisted of 17 events spread throughout, with the intention of giving UCR students and faculty the opportunity to learn a multitude of things in relation to international communities. These events included discussions on how professors teach at their universities in other countries, how the international community views the 2016 U.S. Presidential election and a tabling event that allowed UCR students to discover the different clubs and programs associated with the global community. Some of the events also included guest speakers such as UCR Vice Provost Dr. Kelechi Kalu and Fulbright speaker Dr. Ortesis Kalogirou.

Monday featured a myriad of events, including an international research panel and a discussion with Kalu on how the world views the current presidential election. During this event, students and faculty had the opportunity to speak with the panelists about their experiences living, working or performing research in a foreign country.

In the discussion on international views of the global election, Kalu explained that the current political climate can be traced back to the Cold War, suggesting its aftermath shaped affairs across the modern political world. After his explanation, the floor was opened up for a Q-and-A session. When asked if U.S. universities are equipping their students for the global workforce, Kalu explained that while it is good for students to be able to learn about what they want, there is a need for students to learn about agriculture and other pertinent issues. Kalu also addressed the possible ramifications of Donald Trump’s presidency on international affairs, assuring the audience that Trump will be incapable of doing the majority of the things that he has said during his campaign.

Wednesday included events such as the International Fair, in which both faculty and students, could speak with the different organizations and programs involved in international affairs.

At the International Fair students could visit different organizations and programs that were tabling. Two of these programs include the Education Abroad Program and Opportunities Abroad Program, which featured a small information session about the different countries where students can study abroad. Another table was the Global Issues Forum, which allowed for attendees to rediscover their ancestral roots and share their “global issues.”

The week concluded with a panel consisting of UCR faculty and students discussing employment based visa options on Thursday, Nov. 10.