BU Celebrates International Education Week

New to this year’s International Education Week celebrations is Global Conversations, a series of expert-led talks focusing on worldwide events such as the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square student protests and lessons learned from the current Ebola epidemic.

Boasting one of the largest international student populations in the country, Boston University has much to celebrate during the third annual International Education Week, a joint initiative of the US Departments of State and Education that is celebrated in more than 100 countries. The worldwide bash, which highlights global education and exchange activities, began yesterday and runs through November 22.

BU kicks off its International Education Week programming just days after the being named 37th of 500 “Best Global Universities” in a new U.S. News and World Report ranking. The rankings compare the academic research and reputation of 750 institutions in 49 countries.

At BU, more than 75 events have been planned to mark this year’s celebration, among them food tastings, film screenings, travel abroad seminars, and career workshops. The campus-wide series of events is being sponsored by BU Global Programs, part of the Office of the Provost.

“International Education Week helps us celebrate and highlight how diverse we are,” says Amanda Miller, managing director of strategy and communications at Global Programs. Last year, BU’s undergraduate applicants came from 156 countries, and the University sends students to more than 90 Study Abroad programs around the globe each year. With such a large international student body, Miller says, the BU community benefits from exposure to a wealth of cultures, languages, and experiences. “When students get out into the workforce, this is the world they will be in,” she says. “We’re really fortunate they are exposed to this now. The celebration provides an opportunity to draw attention to our diversity. It’s who we are all the time.”

This year, nearly 60 schools, departments, and campus organizations are hosting International Education Week events, which include student artwork that showcases individual hometowns or cultures, sponsored by Residence Life; a talk by Environmental Health & Safety on how to stay safe while studying abroad; a cooking demonstration of Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Chinese cuisine, hosted by the Center for English Language & Orientation Programs; and a celebration honoring international students during the women’s basketball season opener against Harvard on November 17.

New this year is that Global Conversations, a panel discussion series, is sponsored by Santander Bank. Each discussion will include lunch, followed by a one-hour conversation. The series will focus on a range of international topics, among them the future of Cuban-US relations, the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square student-led prodemocracy demonstration in China that ended with the death of hundreds of protesters, global efforts to convert waste to energy, and lessons to be learned from the current Ebola crisis. The discussions will feature BU faculty and other experts, and preregistration is required.

International Education Week has grown exponentially over the past three years. In 2012, Miller says, there were just 31 events; this year’s celebration has more than double that number.

International Education Week runs through Saturday, November 22, on the Charles River Campus and the Medical Campus. See the full list of activities here. All events are open to the BU community.