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Questions &Answers
Ellen Dussourd is director of the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.
What is International Education Week? What are its history and goals?
An initiative of the U.S. departments of State and Education, International Education Week (IEW) was first held in 2000. This joint annual initiative is part of an effort to promote international understanding and build support for international educational exchange, as well as encourage the development of programs that prepare Americans to live and work in a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study in the United States.
Why does UB celebrate International Education Week?
Our goal is to share the richness of other cultures, expose members of the UB and Buffalo communities to the diverse perspectives of those cultures and, hopefully, increase community members' cross-cultural awareness, curiosity and knowledge. It is our belief that the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 illustrate the need for more—not less—cultural sharing, awareness and education.
How is International Education Week celebrated at UB?
IEW is celebrated at UB through performances, presentations, films, displays, exhibitions and school outreach. Each year, UB international student clubs organize noontime performances and interactive displays in the Student Union, as well as afternoon presentations and evening films. Deans' offices organize "Without Borders" and "UB Research Makes a Difference in the World" sessions, which highlight UB's international research, teaching and service missions. Study Abroad Programs also features its Study Abroad Photo Contest and Exhibition, which showcases photos taken by UB students participating in Study Abroad programs. Additionally, there are sessions on working abroad through the Peace Corps and other avenues. The English Language Institute hosts Frontier High School students and UB international students give presentations in City Honors classes.
What can we expect to see this year at International Education Week?
International Education Week 2006 features a broad array of events, including Korean percussion, Greek and Bhangra dance, and Turkish folk music performances. Several films, "Sepet" (Malaysia, 2004), "I Not Stupid" (Singapore, 2002) and "Wind Horse" (U.S./Tibet 2002), will be screened. UB faculty members will present their research in the fields of engineering (George Lee, "Making Buildings and Bridges Safe Against Earthquakes in the World"), geography (David Mark, "Landscape and Language in Australia and Navajo Country"), public health (Pavani Ram with Mireille Andriankaja, "Making Drinking Water Safe After the Tsunami in Sri Lanka") and social work (Wooksoo Kim, "Alienation From 'Womanhood' Among Korean Women Alcoholics"). Nursing professor Yow-Wu Bill Wu and students will discuss "Caring for Patients" in Jordan, Thailand and the U.S., and dental medicine professor Jude Fabiano and Carrie Wanamaker will present this year's service mission to Mexico. There also will be sessions on working abroad, the Peace Corps and Fulbright opportunities for U.S. students. Additionally, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Latin American, Malaysian, Indonesian and Vietnamese student clubs will organize displays featuring calligraphy, traditional games, artwork, food and clothing. The focus of the Nov. 15 meeting of University Club also will be IEW.
How can I find out more about International Education Week 2006?
For the complete schedule of events and a description of what will take place during each event, visit http:// inted.oie.buffalo.edu/isss/ieweek.html.
What question do you wish I had asked and how would you have answered it?
Who is behind the IEW arrangements and what can we expect next year? We work with an advisory committee made up of faculty and staff members from a variety of academic departments and offices. Tom Burkman (Asian Studies), Peter Gold and Lorraine Oak (College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office), Maria Horne (Theatre and Dance) and John Stone (Rehabilitation Sciences) form the advisory committee, which offers suggestions and direction to the planning committee. Rhona Cadenhead-Hames (Study Abroad Programs), Kathy Curtis (English Language Institute), Eric Comins (International Student and Scholar Services) and I form the planning committee. As you can see, it's a university-wide effort. It is our hope that IEW will continue to bring the world a little closer to campus and Buffalo. Not all domestic students have the chance to travel abroad so we hope that IEW can give them the vicarious experience of traveling to another place and learning about the issues and concerns of people in that country. We also would like to expand our school outreach program by having more opportunities for international students to speak in classrooms in Buffalo. Anyone who would like to be involved in IEW 2007 can contact me at 645-2258 or dussourd@buffalo.edu.