Paper cranes hanging

Welcome Message from Senior Vice Provost for Global Engagement

I want to be in a place in the world where people
can engage in one another’s differences in a way
that is redemptive, full of hope and possibility

– bell hooks

 

Global engagement is at the core of The University of Texas at Austin. Our motto, “what starts here changes the world” drives us to encourage dialogue and discovery, to stimulate and nurture intellectual inquiry, and to create a welcoming environment, for all. Our mission to educate, research, and serve is accomplished through a lens that underscores our global interconnectedness and ensures that students, faculty, and staff are equipped with a deeper appreciation of our human diversity and perspectives.

Today, with a global chorus of multi-linguistic voices calling for a more just and peaceful world, a responsive and wholistic internationalization in higher education is indispensable. Our global challenges will be resolved through transnational collaboration and healthy competition against the backdrop of a milieu that values active listening, reflection, and dissenting voices.

Despite geographic distances and suspended travel, we are emboldened to fulfill our mission and to do so with innovation and creativity. To this end, I invite you to explore the new Texas Global virtual gateway where you will discover the depth and breadth of UT Austin’s global engagement.

We are proud to showcase the work and accomplishments of our faculty and students through research and creative activity, teaching, and service. We applaud our researchers for their fruitful collaborations with peers on all continents. We are grateful to count among our community close to 8,000 international students and scholars who hail from more than 140 countries, and for the 530,000 Longhorn alumni that represent UT Austin with great pride, throughout the world. We are inspired by the richness of our library holdings and art collections and the visiting scholars they draw to campus each year.

You will find resources that will respond to your inquiries, whether you are a current student seeking education abroad opportunities, prospective studentfacultystaffalumnus, or a potential partner institution. You will discover the many on-campus global connections that bring the world to UT Austin, and for the first time ever, you will have access to an interactive map that illustrates our activities in every world region and country. 

The Texas Global website is an interactive narrative of collective internationalization efforts that defines us as a global institution. Visit us often. We will have stories and news to share, and we hope these will lift us up as we all learn to navigate these trying times.

As anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” At UT Austin, we are committed citizens and we are no small group. Let’s learn to speak and master other languages, to listen to and reflect upon the diversity of people and worldviews, to cultivate the mind and be lifelong learners, and to change the world, for the better. 

Hook ‘em Horns!

 

Sonia Feigenbaum, Ph.D.
Senior Vice Provost for Global Engagement/Chief International Officer


Dr. Feigenbaum's Biography

Read Dr. Sonia Feigenbaum's full biography.

Global Engagement and Strategy

Explore UT's global engagement and strategy.

About Texas Global

Learn more about Texas Global.