Teaching International

Penn State Greater Allegheny, strongly committed to the University's internationalization initiatives, has adopted each year a country or region of the world as a common focus to inspire teaching and scholarship. Through comparative study we hope to advance a greater understanding of globalization processes and their impact on the lives of people around the world, including our own region.

The current spotlight is on East Asia. More than 20 faculty and staff members are cooperating to explore and reflect on various aspects of the East Asian history, culture, and economic, social, and political reality. Course lectures, student research projects, public debates, service learning activities, theater productions, films and guest lectures will help us learn about this increasingly important area of the world that is home to almost 1.6 billion people (US Census Bureau data).

An addition to the program starting in 2008-2009 was a theme to accompany the regional focus. The theme for this year is the environment.

Previous countries or regions studied were Latin America and the Caribbean in 2008-2009 (theme: food security), South Asia in 2007-2008, India in 2006-2007, Africa in 2005-2006, and Haiti in 2004.

For more information, contact any member of the Teaching International Executive Committee:

Dr. Verónica Montecinos (vxm11@psu.edu; 412-675-9462), chair
Dr. Margaret Signorella (msignorella@psu.edu; 412-675-9451)
Dr. MaryEllen Higgins (mxh68@psu.edu; 412-675-9461)
Dr. Kurt Torell (kct1@psu.edu; 412-675-9052)