News Release

By MARY CATHERINE HENDRIX
UNC News Services

CHAPEL HILL -- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of five higher education institutions nationwide to receive the first Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization.

The award, presented by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, recognized UNC for making innovative efforts to incorporate international approaches into campus learning. Also honored were Duke University, Bellevue Community College, Binghamton University and St. Norbert College.

The honor was named for the late Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois, who identified international education as a crucial issue for the future strength and security of the United States.

In conjunction with the awards, NAFSA also announced publication of a report titled "Internationalizing the Campus 2004: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities," featuring in-depth profiles of UNC and the other award recipients, as well as coverage of other colleges and universities.

An advisory panel of international educators selected the institutions featured in the report. Sponsors of "Internationalizing the Campus 2004" are the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

One of the UNC initiatives detailed in the report is UNC’s Global Education Center, a building that, when completed, will house three major components of international education: student services, academic programs and faculty research. The groundbreaking celebration for the center took place earlier this month.

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, 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.

International study is increasing at UNC. For example, in 2000, only 25 undergraduates studied abroad in Asia. Last year, UNC sent 119. Three years ago, 74 students studied in Latin America. Now, UNC has 154 students studying there.

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Note: To view the NAFSA report, visit http://www.nafsa.org/pdf/ITC2004.pdf. To view a news release on the Global Education Center groundbreaking and related events, visit http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/nov04/ge110404.html

News Services contact: Deb Saine, (919) 962-8415 or deborah_saine@unc.edu