GLII Faculty Discuss Study Student Learning Outcomes in Community of Practice

With three successful consecutive years of offering Global Learning and Internationalization Institute (GLII) for UNC Charlotte faculty, approximately fifty faculty members have joined the community of practice. The community of practice embodies a growing group of internationalization practitioners on campus, who serve as resources to each other and the campus community and enhance the global nature of the University as a whole.

On October 10, 2024, approximately twenty faculty members from all cohorts of GLII gathered during the first Fall 2024 community of practice session. College of Humanities, Earth and Social Sciences, Cato College of Education, College of Health and Human Services, and College of Arts + Architecture were represented at the community of practice gathering.

Three faculty formed a panel and shared their experiences and valuable lessons from education abroad programs conducted in summer. These faculty and their respective programs included: Security and Intelligence in Western Europe (led by Josh Miller, Political Science and Public Administration),Tanzania: Sustainable Housing and Protective Building Materials (co-led and presented by Liz McCormick, Ravin School of Architecture*), and Bosnia and Herzegovina: Cultural Heritage Workshop in Mostar (led by Emily Makas, Ravin School of Architecture). They discussed collaboration with the Office of Education Abroad for smooth program implementation, students’ progress and reflection on academic and intercultural learning, as well as suggestions to improve programs for future participants.   

Intercultural competence and global learning are the core theoretical foundations of GLII. An important goal of GLII is for participants to engage in an ongoing community of practice to facilitate innovation and create best practices in international education on the UNC Charlotte campus. The Office of International Programs organizes gatherings for GLII faculty to network, collaborate and support each other, and also encourages GLII faculty to form organic gatherings for innovative ideas to advance campus internationalization. 

* The Tanzania: Sustainable Housing and Protective Building Materials is an NSF-funded program with an emphasis on students’ research abroad. Liz McCormick and Brett Tempest were principal investigators of the program. Liz McCormick was a 2024 member of the Global Learning and Internationalization Institute and presented at the community of practice gathering.