Strategic Priorities

The Vision 2030 Global Strategy is comprised of five strategic priorities that will support the university in realizing its vision to be the pre-eminent public research university with a global impact. Over the next seven years, we will pursue education for global citizenship; engagement for impact in the Global South; leadership for innovative partnership and development; education for inclusive excellence; and global excellence for the state of Illinois.

To ensure success and maintain accountability, we will monitor our progress, make revisions as necessary, and share updates on an annual basis.

Priority 1: Education for Global Citizenship

Recognizing our fundamental responsibility to educate global problem solvers, we must incentivize academic units to integrate education abroad into the curriculum; expand global learning options for students that utilize cutting-edge technologies for virtual and hybrid programs, internships, and international research; and offer complementary opportunities to enhance in-class learning and build a foundation to prepare globally competent students.

Action I.  Enrich the curriculum to provide transformative learning experiences that will prepare globally competent problem solvers.

Action II.  Cement education abroad and global learning opportunities as a requirement of degree programs.

Action III.  Provide equitable and inclusive access to transformational learning opportunities at home and abroad.

Action IV.  Diversify geographic, pedagogical, and technological access to interdisciplinary global learning opportunities.

Action V.  Incorporate global learning into the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and sustainability agendas.

Priority 2: Engagement for Impact in the Global South

In concert with our on-campus activities to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability, we must focus our global vision on enhancing relationships in Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia where the university has historically not been engaged; connecting with diaspora communities across the state of Illinois; expanding visible support for Indigenous Rights globally; and investing in opportunities to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Action I.  Position our faculty and staff to be leaders in innovative scholarship to address critical global challenges.

Action II.  Invest in strategic opportunities to integrate intercultural (e.g., Illinois diaspora communities), international (e.g., bilateral relationships), and global (e.g. online programs) dimensions into our education, research, and engagement missions.

Action III. Expand digital learning environments and leverage technological expertise to deliver academic programs worldwide.

Action IV.  Develop mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with private, public, and civil society institutions in the Global South to support capacity building and increased self-reliance.

Action V.  Prioritize just, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable initiatives to support local communities abroad.

Priority 3: Leadership for Innovative Partnership and Development

Students, faculty, and staff across colleges, research institutes, and centers are already actively participating in collaborative scholarship across disciplines and the university’s legacy strategic partnerships are yielding positive outcomes. Utilizing this robust foundation, we must identify and invest in partnership opportunities that expand existing networks and sustain them on a global scale.

Action I.  Cultivate collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with strategic partners to enhance impact and institutional capacity, particularly in the Global South.

Action II.  Institute a comprehensive global communication strategy to raise awareness about our university and, in turn, increase the university’s national and global profile.

Action III.  Create a central clearinghouse for our university’s global engagement to raise awareness about existing and emerging relationships across university departments and units.

Action IV.  Utilize data-driven approaches to promote and support global engagement.

Action V.  Connect with our alumni to ask them to serve as global ambassadors for the university in addition to supporting our global vision through resource sharing and relationship building.

Priority 4: Education for Inclusive Excellence

Building on our experience and leadership in global education and engagement, the university is strategically poised to demonstrate inclusive excellence across all dimensions of our institution. Creating a more diverse and inclusive university aligns with core institutional values of being a global, public research university and reflects our commitment to pursuing equitable impact in the Global South.

Action I.  Devise a comprehensive international enrollment management strategy to diversify the university’s student body.

Action II.  Implement a competitive funding model to support global accessibility to the university’s academic programs.

Action III.  Strengthen integration of international students and scholars into the cultural and academic life of the university.

Action IV.  Improve community engagement opportunities for our university’s international faculty and staff.

Priority 5: Global Excellence for the State of Illinois

As the state of Illinois’ flagship public research university, the university has a fundamental responsibility to contribute constructively to the state’s social and economic development. The university is critically poised to be a leader in educating globally competent students who can contribute positively to the state.

Action I.  Serve as the lead partner with public and private sectors to engage in global activities that foster the social and economic development of the state of Illinois.

Action II.  Establish our university as a center of global excellence to serve as a resource to other public universities across the state of Illinois.

Action III.  Leverage the University of Illinois System’s international offices to establish strategic centers of excellence that advance our global education, research, and engagement priorities abroad.

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