The Office of International Education (OIE) at the University of Colorado at Boulder invites you to partake in this week's festivities in celebration of International Education Week (IEW).

IEW is a nationwide salute to multiculturalism and global studies -- recognizing those who head overseas to study or conduct research, international students and scholars who come to the U.S. and share their cultures, as well as students, faculty, staff and community members who promote a better understanding of global issues.

OIE is sponsoring and publicizing a variety of activities that celebrate the world's diversity. Information on events can be found at colorado.edu/oie/IEWEventsCalendar2009.html.

Activities during IEW include a student panel on Islam, a night of international meals in the dining centers on campus (open to the public for a small fee), food from all over the world in the Alferd Packer Grill, a game day at the Dennis Small Cultural Center, and an IEW reception, to be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the British and Irish Studies Room at Norlin Library.

OIE "brings the world to CU and CU to the world" through Study Abroad Programs (SAP), the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), by supporting Fulbright scholars and applicants, and by facilitating international activities and initiatives on campus.

SAP facilitates study abroad programs in locations as diverse as New Zealand, South Korea, and Kuwait. With more than 275 programs in 65 countries (and growing!) they aim to help each student find the program that best fits the student's interests and studies. Students can take courses all around the world both in English and in foreign languages, related to every major and area of study. CU-Boulder students can use their financial aid and receive in-residence credit.

Visit the Study Abroad Programs Web site at studyabroad.colorado.edu.

ISSS welcomes hundreds of students and scholars from over 80 countries each year. Along with increasing diversity at CU, ISSS organizes a number of events that allow CU students, faculty, and staff to interact with people from anywhere and everywhere.

ISSS facilitates the integration of international students and scholars into campus life, and supports student-led initiatives such at the student volunteer group, CU International, and the International Festival, held in April.

For more information please visit colorado.edu/OIE/isss/programs.html.

The Fulbright program is a prestigious teaching, research, and study grant intended to further international cooperation and understanding. OIE welcomes proposals for projects in any Fulbright country and offers assistance to students who are in the process of application.

For more information, please visit fulbrightonline.org or colorado.edu/OIE/admin/CUFulbrightHighlights.html.

For the past 18 months, a faculty task force appointed by former Provost Phil DiStefano has been participating in the American Council on Education (ACE) Internationalization Laboratory. The laboratory consists of six institutions working to advance collective knowledge about the issues surrounding comprehensive internationalization.

CU-Boulder's task force has been reviewing the state of internationalization on campus and assessing the campus' needs. The task force's report will be finalized after a site visit by ACE consultants in December.

For more information, please see colorado.edu/OIE/ACETaskForce/ACETaskForce.html.

A major component of IEW is encouraging the community outside of the Office of International Education to become involved. The OIE staff love meeting students and parents who are interested in some facet of internationalism.

OIE is located in the basement of the Environmental Design building on the CU-Boulder main campus, close to the University Memorial Center. All of the staff have some sort of international experience, avidly promote others' investigations of global awareness and encourage programs and opportunities that lead to discovery of internationalism in its many contexts.

This year's IEW events draw participants from the CU-Boulder student, faculty and alumni communities. Both U.S. and international students and scholars will participate in the panel, "Insider and Outsider Perceptions of Islam and Muslims in Today's World."

In addition, the keynote speakers for the IEW Reception are a CU-Boulder 2006 alumnus, Roman Yavich, and a CU-Boulder anthropology professor, Bert Covert.

To reach OIE by phone, please call 303-492-7741. You may also visit their Web site at colorado.edu/OIE/ for more information on International Education Week.

All community members are welcome to join in for a celebration of the world and our place in it. See you soon!

Kirstin Bebell is the study abroad program manager for the University of Colorado's Office of International Education.