Application Instructions

Applications are due by March 5, 2020. The application for the 2020 International Studies Research Lab can be found here.

Eligibility and Funding Criteria

Applicants must be faculty or administrators at 2-year community colleges or 4-year universities that offer associate degrees. The Center for Global Studies encourages applications particularly from minority-serving institutions. While fellowships that cover housing and parking will be reserved to applicants from outside of the Champaign-Urbana area, all participants will be eligible to receive research honoraria.

Application Requirements

To receive full consideration for funding, applicants should consult our program description and funding page. Applicants must submit all of the following:

  • 2020 Application Form
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Project Proposal (1-2 pages)
  • Letter of Institutional Endorsement

While portions of the application form can be saved, we recommend to fill it out in one sitting. You will be prompted to upload documents at the end of the form.

Proposal Guidelines

As part of the application, participants are expected to turn in a research or program plan in the form of a draft or current syllabus; an abstract and white paper; a library collection development plan abstract; or a draft plan for a new international education program.  While in residence at Illinois, all participants are expected to build on this plan and produce a finished product or substantial draft. These materials will be published in our institutional repository, IDEALS. A $1,000 honorarium is available, contingent upon receipt of the finished product or substantial draft by the end of the lab. Please see our funding page for more information.

**Due to the end of our grant cycle, all materials must be submitted no later than August 21, 2020. Any materials submitted after this date will not be eligible for the honorarium.

Project proposals from faculty, librarians, and administrators will diverge in content, although questions about vision, methods of implementation, projected impact, timeline to implementation, and fit will be common. Please read the instructions below carefully.

Course Development – When preparing proposals to revise existing curricula or develop new courses, please consider the following questions:

  • What is the theme/problem addressed in the course and how will it expand current international and area studies course offerings at your institution?
  • What are the intellectual/ethical and pedagogical commitments that inform your curriculum? What is the particular urgency to develop this course?
  • Outline learning objectives. What subject-matter knowledge and global competence skills are students expected to master?
  • How will your teaching methods and assessment tools help achieve these learning outcomes?
  • What Illinois resources do you intend to consult?
  • What is the timeline from developing the syllabus to teaching the course?
  • Expected student enrollment numbers in the first year
  • How is the course a fit for the students and in line with initiatives at your department or campus?

Library Development

  • What collections or resources are to be developed and how will these increase current global and area studies resources available at your library?
  • How does your project fit with current library development plans or initiatives at your institution?
  • How will new resources facilitate teaching and research on your campus?
  • What is the timeline from development to implementation?
  • The number of students and faculty that you expect will benefit in the first year
  • How will you measure success and when will evidence be gathered for the purposes of evaluation?
  • What Illinois resources do you intend to consult and how will you participation in the Summer Lab facilitate this project?

International Education Programs

  • How will the organization of your academic program or outreach event expand current international programing at your institution?
  • How is the program/event you envision a fit for your stakeholders and in line with current initiatives or the mission of your institution?
  • What are your objectives in intellectual and pedagogical terms? What is the urgency behind achieving them?
  • What are the particular tasks to be undertaken? Which campus units and what resources will be mobilized?
  • What is the timeline from development to implementation?
  • Number of students, faculty, and community members you expect to reach in the first year
  • How will you measure success and when will evidence be gathered for the purposes of evaluation?
  • How will your participation at the Summer Lab facilitate this project?

Letters of Institutional Endorsement

The Center for Global Studies requests letters in order to gage the institutional support (logistical and/or financial) and commitment that applicants will have at their disposal for the implementation of their projects. Please include a letter with your application.