ACES Global Connect Brings the World to Illinois
For more than 50 years, the College of ACES has held an international dimension to its activities. Many emeritus professors spent a great deal of time working to set up universities internationally in the 1960’s and 1970’s. They helped provide consultation for developing of food programs, or work on research collaboratively with an international institution.
In 2001, the College expanded its notion of how to address bringing an international dimension by forming ACES Global Connect. ACES Global Connect aims to promote the most effective use of faculty, department, college and external resources to support and strengthen the international dimension of research, teaching and outreach activities in the college, bringing international activities into all facets of the college’s missions.
With a team approach, ACES Global has had some great successes in showcasing international needs in Urbana. In 2002, the program kicked off a seminar series featuring prominent speakers on global food security. Over the course of a year, seven speakers were brought to campus, including COO of Archer Daniels Midland Company Paul Mulhollem, Per Pinstrip Anderson from the International Food Policy Research Institute, and Werner Kiene, UN representative to the Bretton Woods Institute. The series was well received and a tremendous start to the program.
ACES Global Connect does more than show the world to University of Illinois students and faculty; it works the other way too, showcasing U of I to the world. Faculty are at any time involved in activities around the world, ranging from speeches at international conferences to community outreach programs, to research in an international laboratory. ACES Global Connect hopes to bring these efforts together and bridge gaps and open new opportunities.