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Illinois International News
Illinois International News is a collection of globally-focused blogs and stories from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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  • Illinois Chancellor Charles L. Isbell Jr. visits University of Birmingham for first time

    Two-day visit marks significant moment in strengthening the transatlantic partnership with Birmingham

  • Coffee, Chemistry, and the Community: New course takes transdisciplinary approach to understanding Panamanian coffee community

    CHEM 199 is a transdisciplinary, community-based learning program that focuses on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and other topics of importance within the coffee community in Panama.     

  • Illinois Chancellor Charles L. Isbell Jr. welcomes new international students during annual reception

    Charles L. Isbell Jr., the new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor, offered advice and words of encouragement during the New International Student Welcome Reception and Resource Fair on August 21, 2025 inside the Krannert Center for Performing Arts.   

  • Illinois, Birmingham announce 2025-2026 BRIDGE Seed Fund Grant recipients

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Birmingham are thrilled to announce the recipients of the Birmingham-Illinois Partnership for Discovery, Engagement, and Education (BRIDGE) Seed Fund Grant for the 2025-2026 Academic Year.   

    The BRIDGE Seed Fund is a joint initiative designed to stimulate collaboration and research between Illinois and Birmingham. It provides funding to support faculty-led projects that foster academic engagement, research development, and educational exchange.  

    This year, 14 projects will receive funding to pursue joint research on a variety of topics.   

  • Student Spotlight: Joanna Adewunmi shares her Illinois story; offers advice for new international students

    Joanna Adewunmi is a doctoral candidate in the School of Information Science, wrapping up her second year at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  

    During her time on campus, she has made helping the international student community a top priority. 

    Which is why, in August 2024, exactly one year from when she first came to the United States as a new international student, Adewunmi volunteered for the ISSS Shuttle Service.  

  • ‘I’ll always remember this school:’ Gloria Porras reminisces on life-changing experience at Illinois, IEI

    Gloria Porras, a former student of the Intensive English Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, talks about her time on campus and her experience in the Scholars at Risk program. 

  • Illinois receives 2025 IIE Heiskell Award for BRIDGE partnership

    The BiRmingham-Illinois Partnership for Discovery, EnGagement and Education (BRIDGE) is continuing to gain global recognition after being selected to receive the 2025 Institute for International Education (IIE) Heiskell Award for Sustainability.

  • ‘Try something different’: 2025 Sheth International Alumni Award recipient shares wisdom, advice during annual lecture

    Taeghwan Hyeon, the recipient of the 2025 Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement, shared his experience and wisdom during the April 25 Sheth Distinguished Alumni Lecture. 

  • Student shares experience taking Design Action Hub hybrid course

    Sophia Gao, a third-year master student studying industrial design at Illinois, signed up for the course after first learning about it from flyers and SCD faculty. 

  • Staff Global Exchange Program participants share experiences

    The Staff Global Exchange Program provides professional development opportunities to enhance global competencies and institutional capacities in alignment with the Vision 2030 Global Strategy.  

  • Global Relations Director Sammer Jones among those receiving 2025 Chancellor's Staff Excellence Award

    Sammer Jones, director for Global Relations at Illinois International, was one of 16 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign employees to receive this year's Chancellor's Excellence Award for exceptional performance.  

  • Sheth Distinguished Alumni Lecture series returns April 24 with leading global chemist Taeghwan Hyeon

    Taeghwan Hyeon a pioneering chemist and researcher in the field of nanoscience and the recipient of the 2025 Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement will deliver the 2025 Sheth Distinguished Alumni Lecture later this month at the Illini Union.

  • 2025 International Achievement Award recipients announced

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Illinois International named Taeghwan Hyeon (Seoul National University), Sharifa Sultana (Illinois), Colby Silvert (University of Maryland), Illinois graduate student Mehrdad Mohammadi, and Illinois undergraduate student David Mock as the recipients of the 2024-2025 International Achievement Awards.

  • Mabokela becomes 1st U.S. scholar appointed to Kyushu University Management Policy Council

    Prof. Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela, the associate chancellor and vice provost for Global Affairs & Strategies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, became the first U.S. scholar appointed to the Management Policy Council at Kyushu University, one of Illinois’ strategic partners.

  • University of Illinois System/UNAM Joint Research Partnership Program - Call for Proposals

    The University of Illinois System and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) have established a joint seed research grants program for one year, including the academic year 2025-2026. This program will fund projects in three thematic areas: Food and Health; Water; Energy. The overarching goal is to contribute towards solving problems related to Poverty, the Environment, and Sustainable well-being.