International Education Week 2019: “Go Greater, Go Global!”

Leonardo A. Villalón, Dean, International Center

Under the theme “Go Greater, Go Global!” the University of Florida is pleased to once again participate in the celebration of International Education Week (IEW). This joint annual initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the U.S. Department of Education provides us an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.

As UF continues to rise in the ranks of the nation’s top public universities, we are keenly aware of the importance of our global engagements in this effort. As President Kent Fuchs phrased it in this year’s State of the University address:  “If we are to be one of the world’s great research universities, as we are, our research and our education must have meaningful connections to every group, every people, every culture across our planet. It is imperative that we remain committed to making sure every international student, every international applicant, and every potential applicant know that UF is a place that welcomes students from all nations and cultures and ethnicities.”

The Gator Nation is home to over 6,600 international students from more than 140 countries. We host some 2,000 visiting scholars every year, and this year more than 2,600 of our students studied abroad at more than 66 destinations.  On any given day, year-round, UF faculty and staff from all parts of the university can be found across the world, carrying out research, participating in conferences and workshops, or teaching.  Our reach is global, and that fact makes us greater.

We invite all UF colleges, departments, and centers to celebrate their own contributions to go greater in achieving UF’s global goals by organizing international education activities during this week.

For questions related to International Education Week, and for help in publicizing your events, please contact Mabel Cardec at mcardec@ufic.ufl.edu or 352-273-1515.  A list of activities hosted by the International Center, as well as other UF events marking IEW will be posted at https://internationalcenter.ufl.edu/student-opportunities/international-education-week