The Future of Duke's Global Engagement

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To the Duke community: 

Duke has a rich history of engaging with the world, beginning with Duke’s first international student, Yao-ju “Charlie” Soong, who enrolled in Trinity College in 1881. Today, we have nearly 6,000 international students at Duke, a record number of undergraduates studying abroad, and countless faculty and staff working with partners and institutions around the globe to advance our missions of education, research, and patient care.

Duke’s international engagement has never been more vital as we inhabit a world that is more complex, dynamic, and interconnected than ever before. When Duke has a strong international presence, we can attract the best students and faculty from around the world, expand our students’ horizons by offering broad and compelling educational opportunities, and forge partnerships that expand our faculty’s ability to conduct research that can have an impact in addressing the most pressing global challenges. 

Last year, in parallel with the Board of Trustees strategic engagement program, I reconstituted the faculty-led Global Priorities Committee (GPC) with representatives from across the university to guide the development of a new strategy to achieve these goals. During the last 12 months, the committee has assessed opportunities to build on Duke’s history of global leadership, deepen the impact of our global ventures, align programs with the university’s strengths and strategic priorities, and enhance the support systems on which they depend.  

In partnership with my office, the GPC has now issued its report detailing this new strategy, which was developed based on input from faculty, staff and administrators from across the university who engage in global research, education and outreach; members of the Board of Trustees; staff who support global administrative functions; and a comparative analysis of peers. The report sets out a vision based on interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning, and open inquiry, with both thematic and geographic priority areas that will inform new programs, partnerships, and investments but not limit the scope of global activities Duke supports today. In addition, with recent staff departures in the Office of Global Affairs, we are taking the opportunity to assess how we provide support and coordinate resources and activities.

The report recommends a new model, emphasizing the following: 

• Global programs will continue to be developed and implemented through the college and schools, interdisciplinary institutes and centers, and Provost Area academic support offices, but with strengthened focus, coordination, and support.
• The GPC will be responsible for leading strategy development and oversight of global engagement and priorities, including convening leaders of global programs across Duke to ensure a coordinated approach.
• The new Global Programs Support (GPS) unit will be a lean, focused team dedicated to helping faculty, staff, and students navigate Duke’s global services. This team will work closely with the GPC to prioritize the support of global opportunities and establish processes that enable our global strategic ambitions.  

You can read the full report here. I want to thank the committee’s members and its chair, Professor Krishna Udayakumar, for their exceptional work, which has continued into this academic year.

This structure will be further developed and refined in what we envision will be a dynamic process of collaboration with key stakeholders and community members. I invite you to engage with the committee about these recommendations and how we can collectively advance our global aspirations by joining one of two upcoming town hall sessions listed below. 

Town Hall Sessions 

• Wednesday, November 5, 9:00-10:00 a.m., in Rubenstein Library 153 (Holsti-Anderson Family Assembly Room)
• Friday, November 7, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., via Zoom (https://duke.zoom.us/j/97757618362)  

For our planning purposes, please RSVP and share any topics that you would like to discuss. You may also email comments and questions to global@duke.edu. We’ll share more details about the new structures in the near future.

As the report notes, this is an opportunity to define the future of academic global engagement. I am excited to work together to advance our remarkable history of bringing the best of the world to Duke and the best of Duke to the world. 

Sincerely, 

Alec D. Gallimore, Ph.D.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer 
Alfred J. Hooks E '68 Distinguished Professor