Building Our Global Community is a certificate program offered by International Programs in collaboration with UI Learning & Development that educates University of Iowa faculty and staff about the experiences of international students and scholars, and methods in which they can foster our increasingly intercultural campus community. Participants who complete the series of sessions (one “core” course and four electives) earn a certificate that demonstrates their commitment to supporting international students and scholars in the classroom and workplace.

New time, new location!

Season eight of the television, radio, and internet program WorldCanvass will begin on Tuesday, September 13, at 7:30 p.m., in the newly-opened Voxman Music Building in downtown Iowa City. WorldCanvass guests will join host Joan Kjaer to discuss the controversial method of energy production known as fracking and its impact on the environment, social dynamics, and the economy. We’ll also explore through music, photography, and literature ways in which artists have documented transitions and grappled with the drumbeat of change. The public is invited to attend and no tickets are required. 

Iowa City ranked seventh in the Peace Corps’ 2015 listing of the country’s top volunteer-producing metro areas per capita. This is the first time the Iowa City metro area (defined as Washington and Johnson counties) reached the top 10 on the list of currently-serving Peace Corps volunteers.

Interested in learning Taiji? Join the Confucius Institute for a free, five-week class! Learn how to enhance your overall health through increased flexibility, relaxation, and stress control. Practice fundamental Taiji movements under the instruction of Haiming Chen, an experienced Taiji trainer who has led classes in China, Japan, and the U.S. for more than 20 years.

Do you want to try cooking Korean food? Learn about Korean culture while making Korean food at one of several cooking classes offered by the King Sejong Institute at the University of Iowa.

Professor Burns Weston passed away in late October, 2015. His vision for the public understanding of human rights issues helped lay the foundation for the creation of the UI Center for Human Rights. Click here to hear him describe the origins of the Center.

"The time has come for me to say goodbye to the University of Iowa where for 12 years, I had the opportunity to explore a tiny tributary of the might river of knowledge. With the exception of my village in Africa, Iowa has probably shaped my life more than any other place I have called home." As he moves on to new places, International Programs faculty fellow Leo Eko reflects on the special place one small Iowa town holds in his heart.

On February 19th I attended the Mayor of Muscatine, Iowa’s Report to the Community on China Initiatives along with four other University of Iowa 100,000 Strong Foundation Student Ambassadors. We came away from the event excited and ready to carry out the 100,000 Strong Foundation’s mission on our own campus. The people of Muscatine are a great example of how a seemingly small group can have a big impact on diplomatic relations. Although there were many different ideas being discussed, one message came across crystal clear; in order for any of the initiatives to be successful, Americans must make an effort to understand China.

Bank’s effort part of Iowa City area’s continuing efforts to better welcome Chinese students. Hills Bank and Trust has become the first Corridor bank to offer Mandarin as a language option on automated teller machines. The Hills-based bank updated the ATM in the lobby of its Old Capitol Town Center office in mid-December. The bank plans to install Mandarin on other ATMs across the University of Iowa campus as part of software upgrades.

Come enjoy the culinary delights of Asia at the Confucius Institute’s Asian Cook-Off. The event, which will be held Friday, January 30, from 6-8 p.m. in 1117 University Capitol Centre, is free and open to the public.

The next WorldCanvass will explore the complicated and controversial issues surrounding the legality and use of tobacco and marijuana with a special focus on the tension between personal liberty and the public good. Host Joan Kjaer will moderate the conversation with guests from the fields of dentistry, psychiatry, pharmacy, public health, and law. The February 3 program begins at 5 p.m. at FilmScene and is free and open to the public

Brad Merryman will tell you he has the best job in the world. After 25 years in the IT industry, he hung up his hat and volunteered in Costa Rica through the Peace Corps. Just a few short months after returning to the U.S., Merryman was honored to accept the Midwest Regional Manager position with the Peace Corps, where he now oversees the recruitment of volunteers throughout a region spanning 11 states.