“The most magical place on earth” set the stage for the Office of International Programs’ first bi-annual International Perspectives on University Teaching and Learning Symposium. On May 30 – June 1, 2018 in Orlando, FL a diverse community of teaching and learning professionals, international educators, policy makers, administrators and researchers gathered to network, collaborate and engage in discussions on internationalization in higher education.
“Cross-cultural collaboration is essential to effectively enhancing higher education institutions,” said Andrew Gillespie, assistant provost for international programs at Auburn University. “The Office of International Programs developed this conference for the purpose of cultivating knowledge on leadership in internationalizing teaching and learning in the United States and abroad.”
The symposium covered a wide range of international teaching and learning topics relevant to institutions and their constituents all across the globe. The keynote sessions were presented by Suzanne Ortega who serves as the president for the Council of Graduate Schools; David Sousa who is an innovative educational consultant and author; Daniel Guhr who serves as the managing director for Illuminate Consulting Group; and Heather Ward who is the associate director for internationalization and global engagement at the American Council on Education.
In addition to the keynote presentations, professionals representing more than eight different countries shared their perspectives on internationalization in teaching and learning to assist their colleagues in developing actionable ideas to bring back to their respective institutions. The presentations and roundtable sessions included topics such as international collaborations in learning and teaching, students and faculty colleagues as learners, global innovations in the multicultural and multilingual classroom, basic theory and research in faculty teaching and learning, and emerging issues in international graduate education.
Over the three-day symposium, professionals just as diverse as their topics gathered to cultivate ideas, communicate effective strategies and foster friendships. Of the attendees that completed a post-symposium survey, all reported that they were satisfied with their experience and 95 percent reported that they were likely to attend the symposium in 2020.
“Auburn University is to be complimented and congratulated for an excellent professional development conference,” said Professor Suzanne Gulledge, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The setting provided the perfect backdrop for the hospitable spirit of collaboration that pervaded the meetings and events. I made great connections, gained insights and returned to my university refreshed, inspired and energized to advance our work in international and global teaching and learning.”
For more information regarding the 2018 International Perspectives on University Teaching and Learning Symposium and future events hosted by the Office of International Programs, please visit www.auburn.edu/international. Also, for 2018 highlights and updates on the 2020 event please like the International Perspectives on University Teaching & Learning Symposium page on Facebook and follow @IPUTLS on Twitter.
Written by: Kalani Long
