New federal award strengthens Global Studies

The Center for Global Studies was recently awarded over $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the Title VI National Resource Center program. This four-year (2022-26) award will further enhance the Center’s efforts to foster foreign language learning, international studies expertise, and global literacy in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the nation.

The new Center for Global Studies National Resource Center award for 2022-26 has the overall objective of
enhancing the nation’s capacity to address contemporary global challenges, with a particular focus on the key themes of 1.) Disability inclusive health and education, 2.) Environmental justice and climate change; 3.) Technology, democracy, and security; and 4.) Migration, displacement, and refugees. CGS activities range from developing interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate curriculum at home at the University of Washington through to K-12 and community college educator training across the nation. Some of the CGS flagship activities for 2022-2026 include: 

• Launching the new Global Engagement: Research, Work, and Study Abroad course in partnership with the UW Undergraduate Advising Office to support first-year students in connecting to global opportunities throughout their college career. 

• Promoting expertise in including students with disabilities, first generation college students, racial and ethnic minorities, and other historically underrepresented groups in university and community college study abroad by establishing the Diversity & Inclusion in Study Abroad Workshop. 

• Sponsoring dialogue about indigenous culture and lived experiences through the Indigenous Knowledges & Community Conversations Series with local partners. 

• Training community college educators in developing global studies curriculum through the annual Community College Master Teachers Institute and course development grants. 

• Ensuring language expertise critical to national security needs by establishing a new Professional Chinese language course in partnership with the UW East Asia Center and the Global Business Center (Title VI CIBER). 

The Center for Global Studies will continue to strengthen its efforts to provide resources and programming for enhancing interdisciplinary international studies through research, teaching, language training, general public programs, media outreach, and professional development opportunities for educators. The Center is especially focused on increasing the diversity of students engaged in international studies and supporting practice-based and applied learning experiences that will prepare the next generation of global experts in government, education, non-profits, and business.  

Many CGS in the new award are co-sponsored and organized in partnership with the four other Title VI National Resource Centers housed in the UW Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington, as well as the UW Global Business Center and partner NRCs across the nation. Overall, the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies has received $10.5 million in federal funding for five global and area studies centers and programs over the next four years.