Russell Ganim

Russell Ganim

Russ Ganim is associate provost and dean of International Programs at the University of Iowa. He has held this position since January 2020, having previously served as the director of the Division of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at Iowa.

Dean Ganim is committed to rebuilding international education in the wake of the pandemic. To that end, he has expanded Iowa’s international partnerships, encouraged development of both virtual and traditional study abroad programs, and renewed efforts to recruit international students.

To strengthen internationalization efforts on campus, Dean Ganim has hosted or helped organize multiple lectures, symposia, and other media events that promote global awareness. Many of these initiatives have been designed to foster connections between international education and efforts to advance diversity, belonging, equity, and inclusion.

Dean Ganim is a professor of French by training but has served as an administrator for the past 20 years, dedicating much of his career to global engagement. Read more about Dean Ganim on the University of Iowa's Faculty and Staff Experts page.

Contact Information

Russell Ganim
1111-A UCC
Phone: 319-335-0373
E-mail: russell-ganim@uiowa.edu

Messages from the Dean

Fulbright top producer graphic 2023-2024

Dean's Message: Travel to the Middle East, France, and ISAB's 10 year anniversary

Monday, April 1, 2024
Dean Ganim discusses recent trips to the Middle East and France and the celebration surrounding the 10th anniversary of UI's International Student Advisory Board (ISAB).
Fulbright top producer graphic 2023-2024

Dean's Message: Iowa's Fulbright achievement

Friday, March 1, 2024
Dean Ganim discusses our recent Fulbright Top Producer designation and the Provost's Global Forum.
Dale and Linda Baker

Dean's Message: Remembering Linda Baker

Thursday, February 1, 2024
Dean Ganim remembers Linda Baker, global champion of international education and friend of International Programs.
Happy New Year with aerial shot of Iowa City

Dean's Message: Happy 2024!

Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Dean Ganim talks about some recent student awards and shares our New Year video.
group of students sitting at table smiling

Dean's Message: Our role as convener on campus and abroad

Friday, December 1, 2023
Through our annual fall break meal event and connecting with alumni abroad, Dean Ganim shares how we bring people together.
Iowa alumni in Saudi Arabia

Dean's Message: Middle East visit forges new and renewed connections

Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Dean Ganim discusses his recent visit to the Middle East, where he supported the recruitment of new international students and met with Hawkeye alumni.
Russell Ganim with Anant Chakradeo in front of International Programs photos and "connecting Iowa with the world and the world with Iowa"

Dean’s Message: UI’s leadership role in international education underscored by visiting colleagues from around the world

Monday, October 2, 2023
Dean Ganim discusses the many visits by partners from around the world this past month including author and labor rights leader Saket Soni and Dr. Nada Melhem from American University of Beirut.
aerial view of large I made from class of 2027 students on the pentacrest

Dean’s Message: Welcoming the newest cohort of international students to Iowa

Friday, September 1, 2023
Dean Ganim welcomes the newest group of international students to Iowa and discusses some of the efforts that go into welcoming them.
Russ Ganim with others holding Iowa flag in mountains in Germany

Dean’s Message: Study Abroad program, Academic Year in Freiburg, celebrates 60 years of growing Global Hawkeyes

Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Dean Ganim discusses his visit to Freiburg, Germany to celebrate this long-running study abroad program, the CIMBA annual awards banquet and graduation, and IP's visit with this year's Mandela Washington Fellows.
Students on the Shakespeare's England faculty-led program in front of cathedral

Dean’s Message: Summer global learning experiences for students and teachers in full swing

Monday, July 3, 2023
Students are participating in study abroad this summer, many on faculty-led programs. Dean Ganim discusses this along with our annual Global Education Institute for Teachers, co-sponsored by the UI College of Education.
students wearing graduation regalia taking selfie at graduation celebration

Dean’s Message: Celebrating our international student community

Friday, June 2, 2023
Dean Gamin talks about the recent International Student Graduation Celebration and how he is working alongside Admissions to attract new international students and scholars to the University of Iowa.
Princess Galyani Valhana Institute of Music, Thailand

Dean's Message: Spring events and Thailand visit

Monday, April 3, 2023
Dean Ganim discusses recent events held this spring as well as his recent trip to Thailand.
Delegates from the University of Iowa, Iowa State, Kosovo and USAID

Dean's Message: Launch of USAID/UI Collaborative Agreement 

Monday, April 3, 2023
Dean Ganim celebrates the recent USAID-funded partnership between University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the Kosova Education Center which seeks to strengthen higher education in Kosovo.
Karen Wachsmuth and Doug Lee in front of Top Producer banner

Dean's Message: A visit to Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Dean Ganim discusses his recent trip to Washington, D.C., last month's successful Lunar New Year celebration, and a panel discussion marking the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
Students on the faculty-led program in the Dominican Republic

Dean's Message: The spring semester is off to a good start

Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Dean Ganim talks about our annual report, study abroad participation and ways in which we welcome new international students.
Kosovo delegation and UI representatives

Dean's Message: Rebound

Sunday, January 1, 2023
Dean Ganim reports on how study abroad is making a comeback and on the various delegation visits that occurred in December.
Two guests at the fall break meal

Dean's Message: International Education Month?

Thursday, December 1, 2022
Dean Ganim looks back on the busy fall semester including International Education Week events.
Recruiting future Hawkeyes at GEMS Cambridge International School in Sharjah

Dean's Message: Hello from Dubai!

Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Dean Ganim discusses his recent trip to the Middle East to recruit future Hawkeyes.
students standing with back to camera, facing UK and Ireland table at study abroad fair

Dean's Message: Fall (and study abroad excitement) is in the air

Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Dean Ganim discusses the momentum that has been built around studying abroad, due in no small part to our recent Study Abroad Fair, and to our generous donors and alumni.
international students smiling in classroom

Dean's Message: New look, new students, new year

Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Dean Ganim says hello to new students, discusses our new look in IP, and gives accolades to the UI team that was awarded a $1 million grant to promote translation and global literacy.
CIMBA graduates with UI and CIMBA faculty and administrators

Dean's Message: Summer Updates

Monday, August 1, 2022
Dean Ganim discusses his recent trip to Kosovo, and CIMBA's graduation ceremony that took place in Iowa City for the first time since COVID began.
With school administrators at the Senegalese American Bilingual School in Dakar

Dean's Message: Trip to Senegal

Friday, July 1, 2022
Dean Ganim discusses the highlights of his recent trip to Senegal and other ways we're developing relationships this summer.
Dean Ganim and international student at international student graduation

Dean's Message: Celebrating the Class of 2022

Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Dean Ganim celebrates the graduating class of 2022, and in particular highlights the first in-person international student affinity graduation ceremony co-sponsored by UI International Programs.
Russ Ganim, along with Dean Sherief Khalifa and Dr. Dixon Thomas at the Gulf Medical Hospital in the UAE

Dean's Message: Catching up

Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Dean Ganim discusses events surrounding the Provost's Global Forum, the world opening up again to travel, and events centered on the rise of authoritarianism.
Kyiv, Ukraine

Dean's Message: Support for Ukraine

Friday, April 1, 2022
Dean Ganim, on behalf of International Programs, condemns the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Anne Frank smiling

Dean's Message: The Legacy of Anne Frank

Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Dean Ganim discusses visits by consular and cultural representatives from Israel and Taiwan, and the Provost's Global Forum on the legacy of Anne Frank.
Hancher Chinese dancer in blue and pink

Dean's Message: A year of accomplishments

Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Dean Ganim discusses our 2021 annual report which highlights what IP, and the campus as a whole, is doing around internationalization.
Happy New Year in scrabble letters

Dean's Message: Happy New Year

Monday, January 3, 2022
Dean Ganim discusses the latest programming which focused on critical issues of global importance and highlights some student successes which underscore the impact of our global mission.
Herky with passport

Dean's Message: UI Passport Office open for business

Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Dean Ganim celebrates the opening of the new U.S. Passport Office at the University of Iowa and how we celebrated International Education Week.
Kosovo delegation

Dean's Message: Strengthening our Global Relationships

Monday, November 1, 2021
Dean Ganim discusses International Education Week and international delegations that visited Iowa.
fish sculptures at Hancher

Dean's Message: Enjoying the familiar

Friday, October 1, 2021
Dean Ganim posits that while we may not have returned to "normal", we have regained a sense of the familiar with some in-person events and students going abroad again.
international students on the steps of the old capitol

Dean's Message: Welcome!

Wednesday, September 1, 2021
Dean Ganim welcomes our newest group of international students to UI this fall.
International alumni group in Wuhan, China holding Iowa flag

Dean's Message: Summer highlights

Monday, August 2, 2021
Dean Ganim on highlights from this summer including the Global Education Institute for Teachers, and alumni making a difference.
Prizren Kosovo aerial view

Dean's Message: Eastern Europe Connections

Thursday, July 1, 2021
Dean Ganim talks about the new Global Alumni Spotlight Series and a new crash course in Albanian.
Student holding Brazilian flag next to graduate herky by Old Capitol

Dean's Message: International Student Affinity Graduation

Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Dean Ganim talks about the first-ever affinity graduation for international students.
dancer jumping in the air

Dean's Message: May

Saturday, May 1, 2021
As May approaches, we realize that we have spent nearly 15 months conducting much of our lives online. I applaud you for your persistence and hope you remain healthy and safe. As our spring semester concludes, I wish to express my deep gratitude to our International Programs staff who continue to serve students, create virtual opportunities, and organize cultural and outreach events that promote the value of international education and global awareness.
daffodils outside the Old Capitol

Dean's Message: Spring

Thursday, April 1, 2021
Dean Ganim reiterates our support for the Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander communities on campus and shares some upcoming events.
ice on tree limbs in front of Iowa banner

Dean's Message: Celebrations

Friday, February 26, 2021
From literature to Fulbright, Dean Ganim highlights all that we've celebrated over the last month.

Dean's Message: A Busy Spring Semester

Monday, February 1, 2021
International Programs welcomes everyone back for spring semester, and Dean Ganim shares some of our upcoming events and current initiatives.

Well wishes from International Programs

Monday, December 21, 2020
As 2020 comes to a close, I'd like to express my deepest thanks for supporting International Programs. With this video, I convey my warmest wishes for the new year.

Dean's Message: Saluting proponents of global awareness

Tuesday, December 1, 2020
By celebrating International Education Week, Dean Russell Ganim recognizes those that inspire us to view the world through a global lens.

Dean's Message: Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Sunday, November 1, 2020
Dean Ganim discusses the variety of ways in which International Programs is engaging in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and creating opportunities for all.

Dean's Message: Settling into Fall term

Monday, October 5, 2020
Dean Ganim provides an update on some of the activities taking place through International Programs this fall.

Dean's Message: Welcome back

Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Dean Ganim reflects on what a new academic year brings - renewal, resilience, and much to look forward to.

Dean's Message: Necessity is the mother of invention

Friday, July 17, 2020
Dean Ganim addresses some of the innovative ways International Programs has continued to promote international education.

Dean's Message: Gratitude and hope

Sunday, June 7, 2020
From celebrating our recent graduates to assessing the needs of our international students, Dean Ganim shares some of the latest activities of International Programs.

Dean's Message: International Education in the Time of COVID-19

Monday, April 27, 2020
Dean Russell Ganim explains how International Programs is looking to the future and working collaboratively with our partners on and off campus to find innovative ways for our students to safely engage in international education. 

New tool aids faculty and students with name pronunciation

Monday, November 28, 2016
A collaborative effort by International Programs, Information Technology Services (ITS), and the Office of the Registrar moved to develop a name pronunciation tool where students can record their name and select their preferred gender pronouns.  Now faculty and staff will know how to pronounce a student’s name in class and what gender pronouns are preferred.