Colleen Murphy is the Interim Associate Chancellor and Vice Provost for Global Affairs & Strategies Designate, a Provost Fellow in the Office of the Provost, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Roger & Stephany Joslin Professor of Law in the College of Law. Dr. Murphy holds a M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.
What excites you most about taking on the role of Interim Associate Chancellor and Vice Provost for Global Affairs & Strategies Designate?
I am most excited about the opportunity to directly support the university’s global engagement mission in a time of change. My scholarship explores how countries try to find opportunities to pursue their goals and values in times of radical disruption and how communities respond to the spectrum of political disruptions. I feel a strong sense of purpose to take those insights and apply them to what I see as a renewed opportunity to articulate to our community and our stakeholders in the state, nationally, and internationally why global engagement is core to the mission of Illinois.
Contributing to our global engagement mission has been central to my 13 plus years of service at Illinois. I served as the inaugural chair of the Illinois Scholars at Risk Program, which is very near and dear to my heart, and associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Law. These roles have helped me understand the challenges facing our scholars and students and how we can support them. My time as director of the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity and acting executive director of the Illinois Global Institute, have developed my network and helped me build relationships with wonderful colleagues who serve as collaborative partners in shaping the university’s broader global engagement mission.
What is your vision for global engagement at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The university is currently engaged in a planning process for the next strategic plan, Illinois Leads, and I hope that global engagement will play a critical role in that vision.
Though I am a faculty member in the law school, I was trained as a philosopher. So, when I think about the global engagement vision for the university, I really think first about the why. Why does global engagement matter to Illinois? Why does it matter to higher education institutions broadly? Once we answer those questions, then the strategy and vision become clearer.
From my own experience as a scholar and administrator, I feel strongly that the global dimension of a university is central to its overall character and impact. To be successful, we must seek truly collaborative and collective approaches to the work we do. What makes Illinois so special is that there are more than 40 units directly contributing to that global engagement mission across campus. Our faculty and scholars are studying or conducting research in more than 100 countries. Not only will I work directly with and seek the perspectives and expertise of those contributors across campus, but I will continue to strive for a collaborative and communicative environment.
How do you see Illinois International supporting faculty and researchers in building global collaborations?
Illinois International can play three direct roles in supporting our faculty and researchers as they develop their global networks. The first is to be a facilitator. Illinois International can provide information, share data, make connections across existing collaborations, and help faculty and researchers make those initial connections as they develop their network.
The second is as a resource, in both internal and external contexts. Internally, Illinois International offers professional development opportunities, intercultural training, and resources for faculty and researchers who are navigating international education in the Illinois context. Externally, we share how higher education is approached in different countries, leveraging partner networks, such as BRIDGE or U21 as sources for funding, professional development, and joint research.
The third is as a supporter. Many of the units in Illinois International are service-focused, providing support to multiple audiences within our community. For example, ISSS has served as a guide for students, faculty, scholars, and staff in understanding the changing federal landscape around immigration. I also think of the valuable programs, grants, and communications developed by multiple units in Illinois International that welcome our international community and celebrate contributions of students, faculty, and staff to the global engagement missions of the university. This is a role where I see us having a high opportunity for substantive impact.
Where do you see the greatest opportunities for impact in the coming year
When I first began this role, I focused on seeking feedback from college and unit leadership across campus and intend to continue these meetings this year. I really wanted to learn about the priorities in the colleges, where there might opportunities for collaboration, and where Illinois International can offer support. These meetings have been extremely instructive in identify our greatest opportunities for the year ahead.
Some emerging focus areas include data collection and distribution, partnerships and collaboration, and communication. Illinois International can contribute to data management for global engagement using the data we already maintain. We can also partner across campus to make sure the data we are collecting is aligned with college goals and useful for demonstrating the global impact of our university. Ultimately, the vision is to showcase a more accurate and nuanced snapshot of campuswide global engagement activity in teaching, research, and engagement.
Another opportunity is strengthening partnerships with campuswide units and colleges to address internal needs and external challenges of the current federal landscape. This could include working with our strategic global partners to strengthen external funding opportunities and facilitate professional development. Illinois International has been instrumental in support communications around federal updates, but there are more opportunities for us to engage with new audiences and address emerging communication needs.
I continue to welcome feedback and ideas for how Illinois International can serve as a facilitator, resource, or supporter for the global engagement activities across campus. Please don’t hesitate to send me an email at colleenm@illinois.edu if you have an idea or feedback you would like to share.