As the global marketplace for higher education continues to expand, new demands are facing universities worldwide. New Mexico universities formed a consortium to begin looking at these issues 15 years ago. They will meet in Las Cruces Oct. 1-2 to further their efforts to help the state graduate a globally competent workforce.
"The New Mexico Global Education Consortium 2014 Summit is a significant milestone in framing NMSU’s commitment to preparing global citizens for the 21st century," said Cornell Menking, NMSU’s associate provost for international and border programs, who organized the summit.
The six universities who originally formed the consortium in 1999 include NMSU, Eastern New Mexico University, Western New Mexico University, New Mexico Highlands University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and the University of New Mexico. Now all four-year, two-year and tribal universities and colleges across the state make up the consortium.
New Mexico State University will host the two-day summit starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, in the Organ Room at the Farm and Ranch Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs. The summit runs through noon on Thursday, Oct. 2.
The program will begin with a welcome from Menking, NMSU Executive Vice President and Provost Dan Howard and NMSU President Garrey Carruthers.
“Providing a diverse academic environment supportive of a global society is one of the goals we’ve established as part of NMSU’s Vision 2020 plan,” said Carruthers. “This event serves to highlight our diversity and international efforts.”
Presentations during the summit will include New Mexico Senators Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, and Cisco McSorely, D-Albuquerque, who will discuss the importance of internationalization to the State of New Mexico.
Other speakers will discuss funding campus internationalization and economic benefits for the state as well as Aggies Go Global’s research, internship and service programs abroad and international student recruitment. Returned exchange students and degree-seeking international students also will share their experiences during the luncheon on Wednesday.
The summit will continue Thursday with sessions beginning at 9 a.m. The program will wrap up with an open forum beginning at 11 a.m, which will include a question and answer session to brainstorm future initiatives.
The conference is open to the public. For more information about the conference and to review the schedule of speakers, visit ibp.nmsu.edu. To attend sessions, please RSVP to brendas@nmsu.edu.
Information from NMSU