Global Initiatives |
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October 1, 2013, Volume 60, No. 7 |
Last year, Provost Price and I published the Strategic Framework for Penn’s Global Initiatives 2012-2017 (Almanac December 4, 2012). To implement, we have restructured Penn Global to include three divisions: Penn Abroad, International Student and Scholar Services and Global Support Services. The announcements below showcase the ambitious global initiatives envisioned in the Framework, including increased and systematic support for international travel, innovative projects sponsored by the Global Engagement Fund and targeted regional initiatives including a major conference this year on innovation in India.
—Ezekiel Emanuel, Vice Provost for Global Initiatives
Global Initiatives for Faculty
All interested Penn faculty members are invited to participate in three major global initiatives for Fall 2013: two campus meetings on Africa and China and one international conference on India.
These initiatives aim to bring together faculty members who have research and teaching interests in the same global regions, thereby facilitating cross-School collaborations on global engagement.
For the meetings on Africa and China, pilot funds of up to $50,000 will support the two best proposals for cross-School collaborations that emerge from each of these meetings. These proposals will be submitted after the meeting.
• Africa Regional Meeting: October 16, 9-11 a.m., Class of 1949 Auditorium, Houston Hall; please RSVP to uttd@exchange.upenn.edu
• China Regional Meeting: October 24, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., G14 Terrace Room, Claudia Cohen Halll; please RSVP to global@exchange.upenn.edu
This year’s major regional initiative for India and South Asia is an interdisciplinary conference.
• India as a Pioneer of Innovation? Constraints & Opportunities.
This conference is designed to assess the present and future of innovation in India, especially in business, law, public services and urban planning. It will bring together academic experts with global business and government leaders to advance our understanding of innovation in India, its successes and challenges and its implications for world affairs. It will take place on Penn’s campus in Philadelphia on November 14-15, with a half-day session at Wharton, San Francisco on November 18.
To learn more about and register for this conference, please visit: http://global.upenn.edu/indiainnovationconference
Global Engagement Fund: Call for Proposals—November 15
The Global Engagement Fund is a competitive grant program designed to seed creative, cross-disciplinary projects that advance Penn’s global initiatives. The Fund offers maximum flexibility in support of faculty initiatives that enhance Penn’s global engagement. It emphasizes projects that:
1. Collaborate across Schools and disciplines and involve multiple faculty members in research and conferences;
2. Engage regions of the world in which Penn has active academic partnerships and collaborative activities, such as Africa, China, India and Latin America;
3. Develop interdisciplinary courses and projects;
4. Engage undergraduate researchers by supporting their global summer research projects.
In the past, the Global Engagement Fund’s awardees have hosted high-profile cross-School conferences on global topics, conducted interdisciplinary global research and hosted distinguished international scholars. Many of the projects seek to push the boundaries of knowledge in their field of research. At the same time, conferences and visiting scholars funded bring international experience to all members of the Penn community and enrich the learning experience on campus.
Proposals are due by November 15, 2013.
Review Process: Projects will be reviewed for scholarly merit and significance for global research, teaching and service. Priority will be given to projects that seed ambitious new endeavors and involve multiple Schools.
Guidelines & Required Forms can be downloaded from http://global.upenn.edu/gef
Application: Applications must include:
• Completed GEF Cover Sheet (with all signatures)
• Completed GEF Budget Form. Items that can be requested include costs associated with travel expenses, supplies, and honoraria for visitors.
• Completed GEF Proposal Form, including background; work to be undertaken; ability to enhance Penn’s international teaching, research and engagement; and demonstrated interdisciplinary linkages.
• Biographies of faculty members involved in the project. Please limit to key faculty; complete bibliographies are not required.
• Evidence of additional funding from institutional or external sources.
• Outlook for the future of the project (continued activity and external funding).
• For conference support, a description of the purpose of the meeting; a proposed program agenda and list of presenters; the names of Penn faculty organizing the meeting; the number of Penn students and faculty expected to attend; an explanation of the benefit to Penn students and faculty; an explanation of the benefit to scholarly or research programs at Penn; and an explanation of the relationship of the meeting to department, institute or center programs.
• For distinguished international scholar visits, the proposed visitor’s CV and a description of the visitor’s proposed activities while at Penn.
• For research travel, expected length of time for the travel.
Submission: Email a complete PDF application, including signed GEF cover sheet, GEF Proposal Form and GEF Budget Form, to global@exchange.upenn.edu The name of the PDF must be the last name of the principal investigator.
Guidelines for Undergraduate Travel to Heightened Risk Regions
Penn Global and the Office of Risk Management & Insurance announce new guidelines for undergraduate student travel to locations identified as Heightened Risk Regions. The new guidance applies to all undergraduate student travel and therefore supersedes the “Penn Abroad Guidelines on Undergraduate Study Abroad in Countries under a Travel Warning” announced on July 17, 2012 (Almanac Volume 59, No. 01).
As of October 1, 2013, the Penn Global website includes International Travel Guidance and the Heightened Risk Regions List (“the list”) at https://global.upenn.edu/global-resources/travel-guide. The list indicates regions within countries worldwide that call for heightened caution and additional preparation for University travelers. The locations on the list are carefully selected using International SOS risk ratings and current US Department of State Travel Warnings. The list is maintained by the Committee on International Travel Risk Assessment (CITRA) and will be updated on a monthly basis unless a significant event warrants immediate revision.
Undergraduate Student Travel to Heightened Risk Regions
Penn-sponsored travel involving undergraduate students to locations identified on the Heightened Risk Regions List must be reviewed and approved by CITRA in advance of departure. In order to request approval from CITRA, undergraduate students must complete the Undergraduate Travel Request Process which includes the completion of a travel questionnaire, a letter of support from the sponsoring school or program and a signed liability form for heightened risk regions. For group travel, the identified trip leader may complete the request process on behalf of the entire group. Detailed instructions for completing the Undergraduate Travel Request Process, including all necessary documents, will be available on the Penn Global website (see International Travel Guidance under Global Resources tab) as of October 1, 2013.
Completed travel requests will be officially accepted as of January 1, 2014 with the first required submission deadline on February 1, 2014 for all Summer/Fall 2014 travel to heightened risk regions. In the interim, CITRA is willing to review requests for Spring, 2014 travel as needed. Please contact the Director of International Risk Management in order to start the process or visit the website for further information and instruction. Completed documents must be submitted to citra@lists.upenn.edu for CITRA review by the deadlines listed below.
Travel Dates |
Deadline for Submission to CITRA |
Summer or Fall
Winter or Spring |
February 1
October 1 |
CITRA will respond to travel requests within two weeks of the submission deadline with either a final decision or a request for further information. It is recommended to begin the process approximately 6-8 weeks prior to the deadline and to work with the Office of International Risk Management to ensure the information submitted is accurate and complete. As the full committee meets twice annually, it is important to meet the established deadlines. If you have a special circumstance and cannot adhere to the deadline, please contact citra@lists.upenn.edu immediately.
When reviewing requests, CITRA considers a number of factors including, but not limited to, the academic value of the proposed travel, the student’s preparedness and understanding of the risks specific to the region and whether the proposed trip complies with the applicable International SOS and/or US Department of State Travel Warning guidance. As needed, CITRA will call upon faculty and administrators with regional expertise and/or school representatives to participate in the review process. The decision of the committee is considered final.
Questions pertaining to the Heightened Risk Regions List or the Undergraduate Travel Request Process should be directed to Jaime Molyneux, Director of International Risk Management at molyneux@upenn.edu |