CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — International Education Week (IEW) returns to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday, Nov. 16.
Events throughout the week will celebrate the broad impact of global education, cultural exchange, and scholarship in the Illinois community.
The Fighting Illini men’s and women’s basketball teams will host two International Day games to celebrate IEW ahead of the week's events. The men’s team will face Sam Houston at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, and the women’s team will take on SEMO at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15. Both games will be at the State Farm Center.
The 15th annual Travel Around the World showcase returns to the Illini Union Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Sponsored by Illinois International, Grainger International Student Community, Illini Union Board, and International Education, the showcase will feature booths representing countries and regions from around the world such as Scandinavia, Peru, Taiwan, Greece, Africa, Iran, and Puerto Rico.
Several campus departments also will be represented including La Casa Cultural Latina and the National & International Scholarships Program.
Students, faculty, staff, and community members can meet people from diverse national and cultural backgrounds while enjoying live performances and demonstrations. Three performances are scheduled throughout the afternoon.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in rooms A, B and C of the Illini Union. No registration is required.
Global Relations at Illinois International also will host an event Nov. 17 geared toward university staff. The Global Relations Connect Speaker Series is a monthly information session for staff and faculty. The Nov. 17 session will highlight the Staff Global Exchange Program.
The program is a fully funded experience abroad for Illinois staff members. It aims to develop professional skills and global competencies through transformative experiences with prestigious international partners.
Japan House will host its regular Japanese Tea Ceremony in honor of IEW. Registration is required. The cost is $18 for students and $20 for the public.
The ceremony begins with a brief tour that includes the history of Japan House and information about the tea ceremony.
Guests can watch as the host carefully prepares equipment chosen specifically for the day and season. Guests also will be served wagashi, a traditional seasonal Japanese sweet, and matcha in a unique, handmade chawan, or tea bowl.
There will be time for questions after the ceremony concludes.
Illinois International, the UI Alumni Association, and EntreCorps at the Gies College of Business will host the 2026 Charles C. Stewart Young Humanitarian Speaker Series from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Illini Union Bookstore’s Author’s Corner.
In this fireside chat, Illinois alum Luis Jaimes-Illanes, co-founder of Conecta Mentora and senior network engineer at aerospace company Altaeros, will discuss how his campus involvement helped prepare him for international work.
Students interested in careers in international or humanitarian work are encouraged to attend. Light refreshments will be provided.
International Education will host IEW’s final event Monday, Nov. 23. The 12th annual Cooking with the Chefs begins at 8:30 a.m. at ISR. Students who register will start with a small continental breakfast before heading to the kitchen to prepare a celebration meal with University Housing chefs.