UW-River Falls Joins Internationalization Laboratory Cohort

Sept. 22, 2011--The University of Wisconsin-River Falls is one of eight institutions that will begin work with the American Council of Education (ACE) this fall to create more globally engaged campuses with enhanced curricula and other international opportunities for their students.

Over the next year, members of the cohort will work to increase global engagement on campus by forming leadership teams to work on strategic planning and student outcomes, attending community meetings in Washington, and participating in site visits and peer reviews, among other activities.

"Participation in the ACE Internationalization Laboratory Cohort is another example of UW-River Falls' commitment to graduating globally engaged citizens," says UWRF Chancellor Dean Van Galen. "We look forward to working with ACE and the seven other outstanding institutions in the cohort to advance international education."

The seven additional higher education institutions in the cohort are Fielding Graduate University (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Georgia Gwinnett College (Lawrenceville, Ga.), Montana State University (Bozeman, Mont.), Monroe Community College (Rochester, N.Y.), Universidad Metropolitana (San Juan, Puerto Rico), University of Wyoming (Laramie, Wyo.), and Webster University (St. Louis, Mo.).

"Whether you're at a community college or a research university, the challenges and road blocks in creating a truly internationalized campus are very similar," says Barbara Hill, project director and senior associate for internationalization at ACE. "Though they represent diverse geographic regions, institution types and sizes, the cohort will be able to share practical ideas and solutions that will ultimately enhance the student experience."

ACE has hosted 59 schools in the Internationalization Laboratory since 2003. This year's cohort had its first meeting in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25.