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

Global Relations
  • Funk ACES Library in fall

    Three Illinois faculty receive Fulbright awards

    Aug 28, 2026 12:15 pm
    • Professor Eric Calderwood (Ph.D.), Director of the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Students and a professor in the School of Literatures, Cultures & Linguistics at Illinois, received a Fulbright Scholar Award to Spain. His host institution will be the Spanish National Research Council.  
    • Professor Tigga Kingston (Ph.D.), an Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior professor in the School of Integrative Biology at Illinois and the inaugural Shelford-Pitelka-Batzli Professor in Mammalian Ecology, received the BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award.  
    • Professor Jacob Bowers (Ph.D.), a professor in the Department of Political Science at Illinois, received a Fulbright Scholar Award to Chile. His host institution will be Universidad Diego Portales in Santiago, Chile.  
  • Main Quad on a spring day. Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Photo by Craig Pessman / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

    BRIDGE Seed Fund Grant recipients announced

    Jul 21, 2026 1:45 pm

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Birmingham are pleased to announce the recipients of the Birmingham-Illinois Partnership for Discovery, Engagement, and Education (BRIDGE) Seed Fund Grant for the 2026-2027 Academic Year.

  • Visitors take in the fleeting beauty of blooming sakura trees graces the grounds of the University of Illinois Arboretum and Japan House. This year, heavy rains shortened the flowering season, but flowers are starting to bud on other flowering trees. Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

    Global Relations, Illinois International will host ‘Fulbright Week’ starting April 30

    Apr 20, 2026 4:30 pm

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Global Relations and Illinois International, with support from the Institute for International Education, will build on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's extensive history of Fulbright participation by hosting a Fulbright Week starting April 30.  

    Fulbright Week is designed to help students, faculty, and staff learn about U.S. Student and Scholar programs. It also fosters a culture of global engagement and encourages members of the university community to pursue transformative international experiences. 

  • Behind Alma Mater are figures of a woman representing “learning” and a man depicting “labor” joining hands. Together they symbolize the University’s motto, “Learning and Labor.” Alma Mater, the beloved bronze mother figure that has greeted generations of University of Illinois students, graces the entry way to the campus. Alma Mater, which was created by sculptor Lorado Taft, is a 10,000-pound statue depicting a mother-figure wearing academic robes, bearing a plaque that reads, "To thy happy children of the future, those of the past send greetings.” Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

    Application cycle opens for Global South Fellowship program

    Apr 16, 2026 10:00 am

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Applications are now being accepted for the 2026-2027 Global South Fellowship Program. 

    This fellowship, which is a Birmingham-Illinois Partnership for Discovery, Engagement, and Education (BRIDGE) initiative, enables visiting fellows to come to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign or the University of Birmingham to conduct research and advance their scholarly work.  

  • Photo shows students walking in front of the College of Education on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus.

    Q&A: Global South Fellow reflects on collaborations, experience gained through Illinois program

    Apr 8, 2026 9:00 am

    Abebaw Yirga Adamu, a professor in higher education and the director of quality assurance at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, said he has connected with and engaged with more people than he initially anticipated during his tenure as a Global South Fellow. 

  • system emblem on sign

    University of Illinois System and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) issue joint call for research proposals

    Mar 9, 2026 5:30 pm

    The University of Illinois System and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) have issued a joint call for proposals for a seed funding research program for the 2026–2027 academic year. The program will fund projects in four thematic areas: Food, Health, Water, and Energy. The overarching goal is to contribute towards solving problems related to poverty, the environment, and sustainable well-being.

  • Birmingham-Illinois “BRIDGE” Alliance marks tenth year of collaboration with $600,000 investment in joint research

    Apr 22, 2024 1:30 pm

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Birmingham are tripling their investment in their partnership to develop new signature research collaborations.