Skip to main content

Strategic Direction

Today’s complex world demands a commitment to global engagement. Global engagement requires the appreciation of intercultural differences, an understanding of inequalities, and a spirit of collaboration for mutual benefit.


Vision

A just, sustainable, and connected world where differences are valued and exchange is encouraged.

Mission

To build opportunities for students and faculty to discover, think, and act in concert with the world.


Research

Nasa view of a distant city.

Migrations funds research that highlights connections between human movement, racism, and dispossession.

Teaching

Flags from different countries with Japan in the front.

The Einaudi Center's international relations minor explores governments, languages, and cultures of the world.

Engagement

Crowd with masks protesting Asian hate.

The Office of Global Learning unites Cornell's global learners with study abroad and immigration services.


Strategic Plan, 2018–22

Goals and Objectives

Goal 1: Promote and support Cornell’s mission to educate the next generation of global citizens.

  • Expand international content in Cornell University curriculum to achieve learning outcomes identified by the provost’s office.
  • Facilitate the creation of a Global Studies major at the university, and international scholarship certificates.
  • Improve the quality of semester-long and short-term international experiences for students; ensure all experiences meet university guidelines for safety and feasibility.
  • Improve access for students to these international experiences.
  • Deepen the integration of international students and scholars into the Cornell community.
  • Increase collaboration between the Office of Global Learning and Einaudi Center.
  • Maintain expertise in federal immigration and labor regulations, and maintain Cornell’s compliance with relevant federal and state laws.

Goal 2: Inspire and facilitate student, faculty, and staff research on global issues.

  • Encourage recognition of international engagement in faculty tenure considerations.
  • Develop a strategy for the university’s global physical footprint.
  • Stimulate cross-campus collaboration around an annual Grand Challenge of global relevance.
  • Provide operational support for teaching, research, and engagement abroad.
  • Improve the structure and financial sustainability of the Einaudi Center, based on internal and external reviews.
  • Disseminate information about best practices and provide tools for international contract management, international travel, international employment, and the U.S. employment of international faculty and staff on the Cornell campus.
  • Develop the Cornell China Center to grow Cornell University’s research, engagement, and reputation in East Asia.
  • Collaborate with Alumni Affairs and Development to build resources for international programming.

Goal 3: Foster meaningful connections and valuable collaborations across Cornell and the world.

  • Build university collaborations with international partners in key strategic geographic and disciplinary areas of interest, as well as in appropriate forums of interaction.
  • Maintain and publicize the university Memoranda of Agreement.
  • Coordinate activities and relationships through the International Council.
  • Facilitate and support cross-campus connections around global issues and agendas.
  • Support academic partners on campus who participate in the activity of global connections, including the colleges, the Library, the School of Continuing Education, the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Engaged Cornell, the Society for the Humanities, etc.
  • Support administrative partners on campus who participate in the activity of global connections, including Alumni Affairs and Development, Counsel’s Office, Financial Affairs, Human Resources, Risk Management, etc.
  • Represent Cornell University to constituencies abroad, including alumni, scholarly leaders, and international institutions.
  • Strengthen connections between Cornell University faculty and students with alumni.

Goal 4: Position Cornell as a leading institution for international studies and global thinking and action.

  • Improve communication interfaces to reach targeted internal and external audiences.
  • Advocate with deans/colleges for the hiring of faculty with international expertise in key strategic geographic and disciplinary areas of interest.
  • Support Area Studies programs on campus.
  • Facilitate a central forum for the strategic organization of language instruction.
  • Develop new opportunities for language instruction and outreach on campus.
  • Seek national and international recognition for the university’s leadership role in global education.
  • Advance the national and international dialogue around global engagement.