2014 Faculty Development Seminar: South Africa
The Global Education Office, in collaboration with the Division of Community Engagement, is pleased to announce the 2014 Faculty Development Seminar. This program is designed to help faculty develop and establish overseas research and teaching linkages. The program will bring groups of selected faculty to specific global partners for the purpose of exploring collaborative research and teaching possibilities. The global partners to be visited will rotate each year to different VCU strategic partners. Priority for faculty participation is given to faculty who do not already have overseas experience or networks.
Program Goal
The seminar seeks to encourage participants to create a new course, add a new unit to an existing course, and/or broaden the scope of all courses. Faculty participants will become better equipped to effectively advocate for and advise their students with regard to study abroad opportunities, as well as to cultivate their own teaching and research connections with counterparts abroad.
Program Components
Participants will complete a spring semester pre- departure program which includes readings, lectures, discussions and writings to make the travel experience as fruitful as possible. They then travel as a group to meet with university, governmental and community partners to explore and establish partnerships and collaborations in many forms - as appropriate to the faculty member and the discipline. Typically, travel occurs over the course of ten days to two weeks. All programming logistics are handled by the Global Education Office and faculty participants must be able to travel within the time frame designated for the program.
Program Timeline
For the 2013-14 academic year, South Africa is the target country for the QGIA Faculty Development Seminar and the trip will take place in early August.