Global Engagement Office

Founded in 2012, the Global Engagement Office was established in an effort to enhance international and intercultural education on the residential campus of IWU. Grounded on the biblical foundation of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, the Global Engagement Office seeks to embody IWU's mission and global vision by: (1) providing intercultural student services; (2) facilitating education abroad programs; (3) expanding the scope of our global influence through centers, institutes, and innovative initiatives; (4) enhancing intercultural academic development; and (5) supporting international student initiatives.

(1) Providing Intercultural Student Services

The Intercultural Student Services department exists to advocate for a culturally responsive and inclusive learning community on the residential campus which is reflected through our commitment to both international and domestic diversity. We do this by informing, inspiring, and inviting learning opportunities and effecting policy that promotes culturally responsive pedagogy and praxis, resulting in reconciliation (with God and with others) and transformational learning outcomes and living. Diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion are values that we embrace as we seek to become a more culturally responsive intercultural learning community. The framework for this work includes: curricular, co-curricular, advocacy, assessment, and institutional responsiveness.

(2) Facilitating Education Abroad Programs

The Education Abroad department exists to provide students with global learning opportunities that enrich their academic discipline and help prepare them to effectively engage with people in multicultural environments. Led by IWU faculty and staff, these education abroad opportunities include: travel classes; World Impact teams; summer/semester abroad programs; and international fieldtrips, internships, student teaching, and practicum experiences.

(3) Expanding the Scope of our Global Influence through Centers, Institutes, and Innovative Initiatives

Ideas need places where they can be cultivated and initiatives need places where they can grow. The Global Engagement Office seeks to be a catalyst for educational innovation on the residential campus and a space where students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the institution can share ideas that are international and intercultural in scope and focus. Some of these ideas will develop and grow while others will not, but they will all be considered. Alfred Nobel once said, "If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I'm satisfied." Some of the ideas that have been developed and are growing on and off IWU's residential campus include: the Center for the Study of Human Trafficking; the High School Institute (i.e., pre-college enrollment and high school completion program); and the English Language Institute (i.e., Cultural Immersion Program, Bridge Program, and Semester @ IWU Program for international students).

(4) Enhancing Intercultural Academic Development

The Global Engagement Office seeks to enhance intercultural academic development on the residential campus through curricular and co-curricular efforts, including: workshops, seminars, and conferences; faculty/staff development opportunities; the "Intercultural Experience" general education requirement; and the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) online assessment.

(5) Supporting International Student Initiatives

As an emerging global Christian university, the IWU residential campus is increasingly becoming a place where international students desire to reside in order to pursue their academic goals. In an effort to support these students and initiatives, the Global Engagement Office collaborates with divisions, schools, offices, and student organizations on the residential campus in a number of ways - this collaboration includes: international student/faculty/staff recruitment and retention initiatives; international student advising; strategic partnership development with international schools; International Scholars in Residence Program; visiting scholars program; sponsoring and advising globally focused student organizations.

For more information on these services, please visit the Global Engagement Office in the Barnes Student Center.

Study Abroad Programs

• The following are approved Semester Abroad Programs:
  • IWU Zambia - School of Nursing (Choma, Zambia) - www.indwes.edu/Academics/School-of-Nursing
  • American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.) - www.bestsemester.com/asp
  • Australia Studies Center (Brisbane, Australia and New Zealand) - www.bestsemester.com/asc
  • Au Sable Institute for Environmental Studies (Great Lakes and Pacific Rim) - www.ausable.org
  • Azusa Pacific University (Los Angeles, CA) - www.apu.edu/laterm
  • BCA Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) - www.bcanet.org
  • China Studies Program (Hong Kong, China) - www.bestsemester.com/csp
  • Contemporary Music Center (Nashville, TN) - www.bestsemester.com/cmc
  • Creation Care Study Program (Belize, Central America, New Zealand) - www.creationcsp.org
  • Ecuador Semester - Taylor University (Cuenca, Ecuador) - www.taylor.edu
  • Focus Leadership Institute (Colorado Springs, CO) - www.focusleadership.org
  • Gordon College in Aix (Aix, Francr) - www.gordon.edu/inaix
  • Gordon College in Orvieto (Orvieto, Italy) - www.gordon.edu/inorvieto
  • Houghton in Tanzania (Tanzania, Africa) - www.houghton.edu
  • Irish Studies Program - Taylor University (Greystones, Ireland) - www.taylor.edu
  • L.A. Film Studies Center (Hollywood, CA) - www.bestsemester.com/lafsc
  • Latin American Studies Program (San José, Costa Rica) - www.bestsemester.com/lasp
  • Middle East Studies Program (Amman, Jordan) - www.bestsemester.com/mesp
  • LCC International University (Klaipeda, Lithuania) - www.lcc.lt/study-abroad-lithuania
  • Oxford Summer Programme (Oxford, England) - www.bestsemester.com/osp
  • Scholar's Semester in Oxford (Oxford, England) - www.bestsemester.com/sso
  • Trinity Christian College Semester in Spain (Sevilla, Spain) - www.semesterinspain.org
  • Uganda Studies Program (Mukona, Uganda) - www.bestsemester.com/usp
  • Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.) - www.bestsemester.com/wjc
  • India Studies Program (India, Coimbatore) - www.bestsemester.com/locations-and-programs/india