University of Richmond Wins International Education Award
January 27, 2003
The University of Richmond is one of 10 recipients of this year's Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education.
The Institute of International Education (IIE) presented the awards in four categories in New York today. Richmond received an honorable mention in the outstanding faculty program category for its faculty seminar abroad program.
IIE is a private, not-for-profit, non-government global higher education and professional exchange organization, founded in 1919. Among other things, it helps the State Department administer Fulbright grants. IIE also helps students, scholars and professionals study, teach and conduct research outside of their home country.
Richmond has sent a group of 8-12 faculty members abroad every summer since 1989.
The group studies a selected country or region during spring semester, then spends three weeks on site, meeting with academic counterparts, business and political leaders, journalists and people on the street.
The program's goals are development of new courses, new contacts for research and teaching, strengthening existing cooperative agreements and creation of an interdisciplinary culture on campus. So far, 36 percent of all Richmond faculty members have completed a seminar in at least one of two dozen countries, including Russia, the People's Republic of China, India, Australia and, most recently, Vietnam and Thailand.
"We continue to be impressed by the variety and quality of programs designed to internationalize the American higher education experience," said IIE president Allan E. Goodman in presenting the awards. "Our goal is to foster innovation in international education curriculum design and an increased desire among institutions to provide a global experience to all students."
The Heiskell awards are named in honor of publisher and philanthropist Andrew Heiskell, former chairman and CEO of Time Inc. and longtime advocate of international education.