Professor teaching in Moscow, Russia

International Opportunities for Faculty

Teach Abroad

Leading a group of students abroad is a rewarding experience. Field-based learning in a site far from Grinnell can conceptualize global education in a way that the classroom cannot. Students not only deepen academic comprehension but also develop intercultural, interpersonal, personal, and professional interests.

Faculty who have led a students abroad have experienced the following:

  • Teaching abroad informs and strengthens their own pedagogy on campus
  • Site-specific exploration establishes new potential research or sabbatical contacts
  • Students become interested in areas of study that they had otherwise not considered

Building an education abroad experience is typically a 12- to 18-month process. Prospective program leaders are encouraged to email ige@grinnell.edu to discuss questions or potential program ideas. It may also be helpful to talk with experienced colleagues who have led past programs.

Login to GrinnellShare for more information on each of the following teaching abroad opportunities and to learn more about the proposal process.

Grinnell-in-London

Grinnell-in-London (GIL) is a longstanding and flagship off-campus study opportunity for tenured or tenure-track faculty at Grinnell. The classroom space is centrally located and provided by our education abroad partner at IFSA Butler and their London Global Flagship. The space allows convenient access to museums, galleries, libraries, and other institutions. A hallmark of the program is intensive interaction with London itself through field trips and regional excursions designed and planned by the Grinnell faculty leaders. GIL offers students and faculty who teach on the program the opportunity to learn as a community about this dynamic place, its history, and its people through a careful selection of courses, cultural integration, and co-curricular activities. 

Prospective GIL leaders are encouraged to contact Susie Duke, Director of Grinnell-in-London, to discuss course ideas and the proposal process. 

Faculty-led Learning Across the Globe (FLAG) programs:

Faculty-led Learning Across the Globe (FLAG) programs take students on an investigation of a new place, culture, ecosystem, or region during a break with a faculty member or a team of faculty members. These include the Global Learning Program, Course-Embedded Travel, and Short-term Summer Research, which are described below. Soon it will also include a new group: Performance Team Travel/Competition abroad.

Global Learning Program

Global Learning Program (GLP) tutorials are taught by two faculty from across disciplines or different areas of research. The GLP experience began as just for first-year students, but the model has expanded to include upper-level GLP courses. The faculty team leads students into comparative exploration of a global theme by means of a spring semester-long course on campus. The on campus work is then supplemented by multi-destination field-based learning for approximately three weeks during spring break and summer. A third co-leader is included in this portion in order to provide logistical support and as a global professional development opportunity. This role is typically filled by a Grinnell College staff member from various units across campus.

Course-Embedded Travel

Course-embedded travel (CET) are most often 200- or 300-level courses that integrate field-based learning central to the pedagogical goals of the course. These courses are generally led by one faculty member with a second Grinnell staff or faculty co-leader incorporated in the off-campus learning experience. The field experience must take place during College recess periods. Courses from all divisions are eligible. 

Short-term Summer Research

The Institute for Global Engagement supports short-term faculty led research projects at an international location or domestic location if the project has a global focus. These experiences should include one faculty member and a maximum of three students. This program funds faculty and student travel, board and accommodations, as well as research expenses for approximately three weeks during the summer.

This is not a Mentored Advanced Project (MAP). Faculty and students who are receiving MAP funding are ineligible for this program.

Teaching Exchanges:

Teach in Nanjing

Since 1987, Grinnell College has had an institutional partnership with Nanjing University, one of China's key comprehensive universities. Through this partnership, Grinnell receives two research scholars from Nanjing University each year, along with a visiting instructor of Chinese, and in return Grinnell sends two of its faculty or staff each year to teach students in Nanjing. This teaching exchange is currently suspended due to Covid19.

Teach in JNU

Grinnell has created a faculty exchange agreement with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), a research university in New Delhi, India. The Institute invites Grinnell faculty in the Humanities and Social Studies Divisions — including faculty whose teaching and research does not include India. This teaching exchange is currently suspended due to Covid19.

Sponsor a Visiting Scholar or a Global Event:

Visiting Fellows

The International Visiting Fellows program allows Grinnell faculty to bring scholars and artists from international locations to Grinnell, for a minimum stay of two weeks to teach a short course or course unit within an existing academic department. Fellows also give a public presentation during their stay on campus. This is an excellent way to complement a department’s curriculum and to introduce students to a scholar or artist who works outside the United States.

Learn how to bring someone to campus as an International Visiting Fellow (login required).

Heath Professorship

Endowed in honor of John Reardon Heath, Grinnell Class of 1919, who was an active member and President of the Grinnell Board of Trustees and gave steadfast support to Grinnell’s long and continuing engagement with the world, the Heath Professorship bring to Grinnell College the most distinguished international figures for a semester-length stay.

Learn how to bring someone to campus with the Heath Professorship (login required).

Global Event on Campus

The Institute for Global Engagement supports projects, speakers, special events and travel that foster global connections and engagement to achieve curricular goals. Faculty are welcome to complete the following form to submit a request for co-sponsorship funding.

Faculty Development Seminar

The Institute sponsors Faculty Development Seminars. Members of the seminar travel to an international destination or set of destinations in order to enhance the international dimension of the Grinnell curriculum and individual faculty members' scholarship.

Information will be found on the IGE GrinnellShare site.

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