What Makes
     Us Unique

[above] International student, Astrid Inniss ('02), a native of the Bahamas, conducts research for a Ph.D. degree in NUFS.

International

     An international focus is primary to our unique academic mission at CHS@AU. Since 1990, international initiatives have been a central part of our strategic plan and a top priority for the College. The emergence of our world community makes us keenly aware that Human Sciences students must understand and accept their role in this global society. Faculty recognize this challenge and make a concerted effort to ensure that awareness of other cultures permeates our teaching, research, and outreach programs.

     Faculty also recognize that international students who come to the College to study need to feel accepted and included. Our goal is to welcome these students and make them an integral part of our academic community. In fact, we want all of our students, both domestic and international, to be comfortable with others different from themselves. We want them to be accepting and tolerant of diversity, open to new ideas, and knowledgeable about global issues.

     To this end, many international initiatives are in place in CHS@AU. Undergraduate and graduate students may spend a semester or even a year studying in locations ranging from London to Hong Kong to Mexico City. They may decide to pursue study abroad and learn a foreign language as requirements of the International Minor in Human Sciences, the only credential of its kind offered at Auburn University.

     International students come to CHS@AU on an individual basis or as a part of a university agreement. Current official exchange programs include Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, China Textile University in Shanghai, China, and University of Santiago de Compostela in Vigo, Spain. Just a few examples of other countries in which our current international students hold citizenship include: Iceland, Germany, Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, and New Zealand.

     International scholars who come to CHS@AU to study and teach also greatly enrich our academic community, and our own faculty are frequently invited overseas to share their research with academic and industry leaders located around the globe. With this international experience comes a better understanding of diverse family structures, international quality standards for goods and services, and global inequities in food distribution, housing, health care, and educational and social opportunities. As a part of our international mission, it is our goal to train students and faculty to return home armed with new approaches and solutions that can be used to address pressing local and national needs.

     We are deeply indebted to our distinguished International Board of Advisors of renowned scholars, professionals, and alumni who have led and guided our international programming efforts in the College. They have inspired us, taught us, and supported us in our many initiatives including the International Quality of Life Awards, perhaps our most visible international achievement over the past eight years.