News Release

Photo note: Photos of Coclanis, Bhagwati and color sketches of the
Global Education Center are available. See URLs at the end of the release..

CHAPEL HILL – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this month will celebrate breaking ground for a new Global Education Center, host a top international economist and mark International Education Week.

All of these events, scheduled Nov. 10-19, represent the latest milestones for a university that lists enhancing its engagement with the world among its top priorities for the future as a leading U.S. public university.

Highlights will include the following free, public events:

· A groundbreaking celebration for the Global Education Center Friday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. in the Old Well Ballroom of the Carolina Inn. The center, to be located nearby on the corner of McCauley and Pittsboro streets, will help bring Carolina’s international efforts under one roof and serve as a vibrant hub of international teaching, research and public service.

· A lecture at 4 p.m. Nov. 12 by Columbia University Professor Jagdish Bhagwati, a top international trade and immigration expert, in the Cobb Theater of the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History.

· An autobiographical performance, "We’re Not the Tourists You’re Looking For," by photographer and National Public Radio commentator Jesse Kalisher on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Cobb Theater of the Stone Center.

· An observance of International Education Week Nov. 15-19.

Starting construction of the Global Education Center will be a major step forward for Carolina, which already is attracting attention in the higher education community with its moves on the international front, said Dr. Peter Coclanis, associate provost for international affairs.

Later this month, NAFSA: Association of International Educators will publish "Internationalizing the Campus 2004: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities," featuring UNC among five U.S. campuses selected for in-depth profiles. The report showcases U.S. colleges and universities that are making innovative efforts to integrate global approaches into campus learning – one of the key objectives of UNC’s Global Education Center.

"The Global Education Center will be, in many ways, a one-stop shop for our internationalization efforts," Coclanis said. "There are not too many campuses that have this particular vision right now for global education and this building will help to stamp us as a university fully committed to pushing that vision forward. The Global Education Center is where our students will realize that the world is as close as their doorstep."

The center is unique among U.S. colleges and universities for bringing together in one facility the three major components of international education: student services, academic programs and faculty research, Coclanis said. When completed, the center will be an 80,000 square-foot building with a three-story main structure topped by a smaller fourth floor.

The building’s features will include classroom space, a videoconferencing center and a home for several academic and student programs now spread across campus. Those include the Office of Study Abroad, the Curriculum in International and Area Studies, Carolina Asia Center, University Center for International Studies, Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations, Center for African Studies, Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies, Center for European Studies, Institute of Latin American Studies, N.C. Center for South Asian Studies and the Institute for Advanced Research in International and Area Studies.

Speaking at the center’s groundbreaking celebration will be UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor James Moeser, Board of Trustees Chair Richard "Stick" Williams of Charlotte, UNC President Molly Broad, Associate Provost for International Affairs Peter Coclanis and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Bernadette Gray-Little.

The Higher Education Bond Referendum, approved in 2000, generated $20 million for the $31 million center. UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences plans to raise another $7.5 million for the building from private donors contributing to the university’s Carolina First Campaign. University non-appropriated receipts also will be used toward project costs.

"We are committed to expanding international opportunities to all Carolina students by infusing a global experience and perspective through integrated classes, seminars, research and field experiences both here and abroad," said Gray-Little. "The Global Education Center will help us provide a more meaningful education for the 21^st Century while serving as a hub for international activities and a gathering place for students, faculty and our visitors from around the world."

Bhagwati’s lecture at 4 p.m. Nov. 12 is part of the University Center for International Studies Distinguished Speaker Series, established in 2001 by donor Alston Gardner to bring renowned individuals from around the world to Chapel Hill to discuss timely international issues.

Bhagwati, University Professor at Columbia, is a senior fellow in international economics with the Council on Foreign Relations. A leader in the fight for free trade, he has published more than 300 articles and 50 volumes. He writes frequently for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and The New Republic. His book, "In Defense of Globalization," published earlier this year, has received worldwide acclaim.

Kalisher’s performance Nov. 10 will draw from the experiences he and his wife, Helen, had in Syria on Sept. 11, 2001, as well as in Jordan, Israel and Egypt following the attack. He chronicled their adventures in this one-person show, performed in the tradition of actor and writer Spalding Gray. The show already has made stops in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Kalisher’s photography has been shown in museums from Los Angeles to New York. The Chapel Hill resident is an occasional commentator for NPR’s "Marketplace," "Day to Day" and "Savvy Traveler" programs.

International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of an effort to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences in the United States.

UNC’s observance will include "Welcome to Carolina, Welcome to the World: A Campus Conversation," hosted by Coclanis to launch the weeklong celebration and to discuss the university’s international initiatives, challenges and opportunities. This Nov. 15 session and a reception will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Cobb Theater of the Stone Center.

"All week, there are events planned to engage faculty, staff, students and members of the community in different types of international experiences, whether it is film, student projects, cultural performances or lectures," Coclanis said.

Other highlights will include an international education exhibition and fair; a film forum and screening with filmmaker Alex Rivera; a field trip on campus for public school teachers and students; a benefit concert for Carolina for Kibera featuring local bands; and an international photography contest. Students will hold panel discussions and programs providing opportunities to share experiences and perspectives about international education. For a schedule of all of the upcoming international events, visit http://international.unc.edu/

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Coclanis, http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/faculty/coclanis_peter.jpg
Bhagwati, http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/visiting/bhagwati.jpg

Global Education Center artist’s sketches:

• http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/buildings/globaled_pittsboro.jpg
• http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/buildings/globaled_mccauley.jpg

News Services contact: Mike McFarland, (919) 962-8593