The 2025 "'Glocal' Conversation'" at International Education Week addressed how internationalization is essential to the missions of the Division of Physical Sciences, UCLA Library and UNEX, and the ways in which these units are advancing global education and research in the face of serious challenges.
During the panel, García-Garibay explained how university-based research came to be. Over the course of human history, “as different societies took leadership and had the resources and economic means to invest in science, they became the focus of science,” he said. “So people from around the world would go to those centers. We see that in many different civilizations going back to Alexandria, Greece (Athens) and Rome.”
The international nature of the physical sciences, he pointed out, can be seen in the research and fieldwork of the UCLA science faculty and students throughout the world, from the Andes to the Alps to the CERN particle physics laboratory in Geneva. It is also illustrated by the collaborative research projects of faculty.
“Any given scientist at any given time is likely to have multiple collaborations in multiple continents, with many people connected through technology (for a project) that could not be carried out in (one) particular location,” he said.
He continued: “We are extremely lucky to attract talented students from all over the world, and (that) many of our faculty — many are really the best in their fields — have chosen to come to UCLA to develop their scholarship.”
Jackson added that a global orientation is also part of the lifeblood of UCLA Library. “I think that … for our campus, what’s exciting is that we are global because we’re in Los Angeles and in areas where the library really situates itself in advancing international endeavors,” she said.
She reminded the audience that UCLA Library is an academic library in a public institution that not only “fulfills the research, teaching and learning mandate across the campus, but also something bigger … and that is the learning mandate of educating the world.”
The internationalization of UCLA Library can be seen, she added, in special collections that attract researchers from around the world; the circulation of “medium-rare” collections of small presses from Asia, Africa, Latin America and other world regions; the library’s modern endangered archives program; its extensive international and area studies program; its world-renowned East Asia Library; two Los Angeles archivists who engage with many diasporic communities; and the fact that it collects materials in over 400 languages.
As for UCLA Extension’s work, Bullard, whose comments were read during the panel, said, “Each year, out of the more than 32,000 learners we serve, approximately 2,500 come from over 67 countries, bringing global perspectives, professional experiences and cultural insights that enrich every classroom and program.
“At the same time, our global reach directly enhances the learning environment for domestic students and working professionals. … UCLA Extension helps advance the UCLA mission of serving an interconnected world, expanding access to high-quality education while cultivating a vibrant, diverse and globally aware learning community in Los Angeles,” his statement continued.
Sustaining international education and research in turbulent times
In response to a “loss of trust” in universities, Jackson said of UCLA Library, “Our job is to give you the tools and resources that have been validated, so you can form a very educated and well-vetted opinion of your own.”
Despite current challenges, including “pocketbook” issues, Jackson said it remained imperative to capture our present moment through archival materials with a view toward curatorial oversight at a later time. She also advocated bringing UCLA Library’s physical and online spaces together in a way that promotes serendipitous encounters among people along the route to satisfying their curiosity. Asked what students could do to support the international mission of the library, she encouraged them to communicate the importance of having primary source materials and engaging with contemporary history as key components of their education.
García-Garibay noted that collaborative practices in science, which often begin with meeting a colleague at an international conference, are becoming highly regulated. Although he said he understood governmental concern about the links between research, knowledge, technology and the economic impact of technology, newly introduced controls are making global collaboration more difficult.
He nevertheless called on scientists to be more intentional than ever in establishing and pursuing global collaborations.
“(E)ven if we have to go through multiple hurdles … most importantly, we need to continue to maintain the climate that we have today, which is one that welcomes international talent,” he said.
Bullard said in his statement that, “UCLA Extension is rising to the challenges of this moment by broadening how we engage learners globally.
“We are expanding online and hybrid offerings so international learners can access UCLA quality education without travel,” his statement continued. “And we’re developing modular, short-term programs that allow students to begin their studies abroad with the option to transition on-site when circumstances improve.”
Several of Kim’s observations throughout the discussion distilled its essence. He noted, for example, that both García-Garibay and Jackson emphasized the need for institutional stability in turbulent times, together with leadership that takes into account faculty, student and institutional engagement.
“(T)he decisions that we make at local and national scales are shaped by global events, and for our faculty, students, alumni and staff, it is absolutely important to be able to connect the local with the global in order to understand the issues and to transform that knowledge into some kind of action that benefits either the local community or the nation or the globe as a whole,” he said. “Knowledge is really an international enterprise.”
00:00:02:04 - 00:00:39:13
Speaker 1
Good afternoon. I'm Cindy Fan Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement at UCLA. Welcome to the Global Conversation event and, International Education Week. The International Institute would like to acknowledge our presence on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Gabriel, Nino Tongva peoples and International Education Week, or Are You is a nationwide initiative that takes place on university campuses every fall and at UCLA.
00:00:39:14 - 00:01:16:02
Speaker 1
It is a week of programing that offers students, faculty and staff multiple and friends multiple events and activities that highlight international exchange education and research. And this year's I at UCLA features 40 events hosted by 33 units on campus. And I would like to acknowledge the 33 units that participate in this year's ICW, as well as our 21 campus sponsors, and they are listed at the back in the on the banners.
00:01:16:04 - 00:02:04:00
Speaker 1
And many of these units are represented at this afternoon's event. So I'd like to thank you for your support. This is the 10th year that the International Institute is leading this campus wide celebration of International Education Week. It is now a campus tradition that brings together and connects units and peoples from across the campus. It is also a reminder that this is a truly global campus and a reminder of UCLA connects one of the university's flagship initiatives, and I'd like to recognize our audience here, which includes campus leaders, faculty, staff, students, friends, and our community members.
00:02:04:02 - 00:02:34:19
Speaker 1
Thank you for joining us. As we reaffirm our commitment to advancing global education and research. And despite the challenges that we're facing, which our panelists will be addressing today. Also joining us is Mohamad Book Dollar, consul, cultural counselor of France and director of Villa Albertine. He is accompanied by representatives from the Consulate General of France in Los Angeles.
00:02:34:19 - 00:03:12:21
Speaker 1
My gratitude to you all for visiting UCLA today and for being here this afternoon. Now, a personal shout out to the International Institute team, especially our staff, many of whom have worked many, many months over many, many months behind the scenes to make Iowa possible. Thank you for your commitment, your partnership, your, many, months of work and above all, your believe in and passion for international education and research and glowing engagement.
00:03:12:23 - 00:03:26:23
Speaker 1
So please join me in giving the International Institute staff a big round of applause.
00:03:27:01 - 00:03:52:23
Speaker 1
The theme of this afternoon's program is Advancing Global Education and Research in Turbulent Times. And before I turn to the, to the panelists, please welcome our special guest, executive executive, vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt.
00:03:53:01 - 00:04:21:01
Speaker 2
Thank you so much, Cindy, and thank you all for being here in affirming the importance of international education. So today across the world, we see people turning away from each other. We see trust between people and nations eroding. We see hostilities increasing and suffering intensifying. At UCLA, we believe the key to a better future is not and pushing each other away.
00:04:21:03 - 00:05:00:03
Speaker 2
It is in coming together, connecting, exchanging knowledge, finding shared solutions to common problems and lifting each other up. The recognition of our interdependence and the instinct for collaboration has served humanity well in the past, and it is central to future progress. Stability and well-being of the world. At UCLA, we believe this deeply, so deeply, in fact, that we identified expanding UCLA's reach as a global university as the second goal of our 2023 2028 strategic plan.
00:05:00:05 - 00:05:31:23
Speaker 2
So we are pursuing this goal in so many ways through the fine work of our international institute. The Cindy has talked about, which supports everything from international public health to arts preservation to language revitalization. Through the connections our faculty make with their colleagues throughout the world, by bringing students from other countries to study here at UCLA and by helping our students to become global citizens, by going abroad themselves and learning about other nations and other cultures.
00:05:32:00 - 00:06:03:11
Speaker 2
I especially want to note the work of Cindy and Catherine Paul in chairing our Global Advisors Council. This was an important element of our strategic plan. They have done so much to keep us on track. In the effort to deepen UCLA's impact as an engine of positive change in our city, our state, our nation and the world. The Council is bringing leaders together from throughout the campus to develop strategies to strengthen our international efforts and global leadership.
00:06:03:12 - 00:06:31:14
Speaker 2
Also reflecting UCLA's nature as a global leader dedicated to addressing both global and local problems, they are nurturing UCLA's relationships with local communities in Los Angeles and across California. I am grateful for their leadership and for the work of everyone on the Council. I'm also grateful to all of you who are keeping the spirit of international cooperation alive and making UCLA a more connective university.
00:06:31:16 - 00:07:00:19
Speaker 2
One of the Chancellor's key initiatives in a time of so much instability. Institutions like ours must be a counterweight to the forces of entropy and nihilism. That means we must unambiguously and proudly demonstrate the benefits of inclusion and cooperation. The power of reasoning together, and the impact of bringing our most robust collective thinking to our toughest collective problems.
00:07:00:21 - 00:07:29:17
Speaker 2
The groundbreaking work we're engaged in, and the opportunity to strengthen these efforts should be a cause for optimism, even in difficult times. Thank you again for participating in this event, and I hope the rest of International Education Week is a source of inspiration and connection. Thank you.
00:07:29:19 - 00:07:55:14
Speaker 1
Thank you, FCP hunt. Appreciate your being here to support you and reaffirm with all of us, UCLA's commitment to global education and research. Now, everyone has mentioned the Global Advisors Council, a cornerstone of the second goal of this strategic plan, expanding our reach as a global university. And I'd like to share some good news. We really need good news, don't we?
00:07:55:16 - 00:08:26:16
Speaker 1
Exciting news in the next couple of days. We will be publicly announcing ten recipients of the inaugural Global Research Award and 16 recipients of the inaugural Global Research Award, spearheaded by the Global Advisors Council. And the titles of these proposals are really intriguing. Let me share with you two of them. One of the titles is inclusion of Global voices in introductory chemistry classrooms.
00:08:26:16 - 00:08:59:17
Speaker 1
So that's under you, Miguel. One of your faculty has won an award. Another title I'd like to share with you is called resonate 2026. That's under you. The library. Athena, that has to do with open access of musical score projects. So as you can see, these are what's really, encourage and reward creative activities on campus, across campus that speak to the global nature of our university.
00:08:59:17 - 00:09:32:15
Speaker 1
So stay tuned. It will arrive in your inbox hopefully soon. EVP hunt has also mentioned global. No, I don't know if the word local is in the dictionary yet. It really should be because we've been talking about it. So expanding UCLA global reach also of course directly connects us to our local communities, hence global conversation. I would now like to welcome our panelists a distinguished panelists, to the stage while I introduce them.
00:09:32:17 - 00:10:08:03
Speaker 1
David Kim is associate vice provost of the International Institute, professor in the Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies, and inaugural Community Engagement advisor for the Division of Humanities. He has authored or edited eight books, the most recent being Utterance solidarity, anti-Semitism, and racism in the Atlantic World and Cosmopolitan Parables. He is the recipient of the 2024 Global Shield Faculty Prize and the 2020 Distinguished Teaching Award.
00:10:08:05 - 00:10:22:12
Speaker 1
During the summer. David directs the Travel Study Program in The Hague on international human rights. David.
00:10:22:14 - 00:11:03:07
Speaker 1
Athena Jackson became the Norman Amina Powell University librarian in March 2024. Throughout her career, Athena has enabled transformative learning opportunities by centering the needs of scholars and by promoting access to library resources through modern channels. She has consistently worked to bring diversity and inclusion to the forefront of library spaces. As a library leader, she is sought out for her expertise on topics ranging from open and equitable leadership, racial empathy, and its role in higher education, open scholarship, and special collections of leadership and management.
00:11:03:08 - 00:11:11:00
Speaker 1
Athena.
00:11:11:02 - 00:11:54:20
Speaker 1
Miguel Garcia Garibay is dean of physical Sciences, senior dean of the UCLA College, and Distinguished Professor in the Department for Chemistry and Biochemistry. Miguel achieved international reputation for his work in reactive intermediates, solid state chemistry, photochemistry, and for the development of M3 dynamic crystals. I have no idea what that is, but it's a platform for molecular machines. He was elected a Fellow of Choice, fellow of the American Chemical Society, member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, corresponding member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences, and was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences.
00:11:54:20 - 00:12:01:20
Speaker 1
Miguel.
00:12:01:22 - 00:12:28:10
Speaker 1
Now on the flier that you've received. We do have a fourth panelists, Eric Boehlert. Unfortunately, he's under the weather today, so he's not, able to come to campus. But he has, sent us his, some of the comments and remarks, which David would also share. I have to get them. You have to get them. So I'm going to just share with you, Eric's bio as well.
00:12:28:12 - 00:13:08:15
Speaker 1
So Arabella is dean of continuing education and UCLA extension, where he leads one of the nation's largest continuing professional education units. In this role, Eric acts as CEO of UCLA extension, overseeing an organization of more than 1500 instructors and 250 staff. Throughout his career. Eric has championed lifelong learning, workforce development, and global engagement. At UCLA, he continues to advance innovative programing that meets the evolving needs of adult learners, working professionals, and international students.
00:13:08:17 - 00:13:22:05
Speaker 1
So please join me in welcoming the panel, and I now turn the program over to our moderator, David Kim.
00:13:22:07 - 00:13:49:01
Speaker 3
First of all, thank you, Cindy, for the kind introduction. It is my great privilege to be moderating today's conversation titled Advancing Global Education and Research in Turbulent Times. Thank you, of course, for joining me on stage and being part of the panel. As you remember, this event was canceled twice for various reasons. Some things in life need not be, made up.
00:13:49:03 - 00:14:10:18
Speaker 3
It's okay for them to be canceled, but this is not one of them. And I'm so glad that we get to be together on stage. And, listen to your insights and experiences and it's really a pity that Eric cannot be with us today because we are representing very different units on campus. And it would have been wonderful to listen to his, more elaborated answers.
00:14:10:18 - 00:14:33:02
Speaker 3
But I have his answers to my two questions that I prepared for the panelists. I would also like to frame today's conversation a little bit, so that you understand how the process is going to work, and then, and then we'll just jump right in. I think it's fair to say that faculty, students, staff, and alumni are always eager to listen to campus leaders.
00:14:33:04 - 00:15:01:19
Speaker 3
About exciting events and initiatives. And it seems, especially the case when higher education is experiencing going through some tough times, turbulent times. And I really can't think of a better time for us to listen to your experiences and thoughts. During this moment. And I very much look forward to learning from your, responses and thoughts in response to my questions.
00:15:01:21 - 00:15:27:13
Speaker 3
So I've prepared two questions for the, for the panelists will engage in about, in a conversation for about 30 minutes, and then I will open up the floor to you. You will get to ask questions directly to the panelists in the spirit of dialogic, sort of conversation. And so I welcome you to participate. And once we get to that point, I will give you some instructions.
00:15:27:15 - 00:16:02:00
Speaker 3
As I mentioned before, you lead two very different yet interrelated units on campus and the quite the first set of questions that I would like to ask you is, how is internationalism essential to the mission of your unit? And can you provide us with a couple examples that illustrate that importance? And let me frame my question a little bit so that, the audience can also sort of follow along and then sort of see how important significant your answers are in response to these questions.
00:16:02:02 - 00:16:45:06
Speaker 3
The reason why I asked these questions is really, as follows. When we think about the pre-modern era, we know that knowledge in the Latin sense of ciencia traveled across cultural, linguistic, national and religious borders. We know that knowledge and science were by nature border crossing. And obviously we've come a long way since the pre-modern period. But now the question is, how does your unit advance global education and research in 2025 at UCLA and beyond?
00:16:45:08 - 00:16:48:12
Speaker 3
Let's begin with you, Miguel.
00:16:48:14 - 00:17:12:21
Speaker 4
I love the way you frame that, the the conversation and the question. So, you know, I want to start off when when we talk about internationalization and how it is important to the sciences. I think science wouldn't exist without it being international. As I reflect through the, the, you know, the history of humanity, right.
00:17:12:23 - 00:17:37:09
Speaker 4
From the very beginning, science was an endeavor that really knew no boundaries. There were no boundaries there. But the very process of science, which is, observation, you know, formulation of hypothesis testing, it, that was happening from the very beginning. Right. Are those cherries sweet and nutritious, or are they toxic? People had to do experiments somewhere.
00:17:37:09 - 00:18:03:08
Speaker 4
One way or another. And as a science progressed, I think what we see is, when societies become more complex, and this goes really to the core of what we're doing here. Science became a little bit more centralized. So as different societies took the leadership and had the resources and, and the economic means to invest in science, they became the focus of science.
00:18:03:08 - 00:18:33:11
Speaker 4
So people from around the world would go to those, whatever the world was, to find out at that point, went to those centers. And we see that through through history in many different civilizations. And so when that, you know, that goes to Alexandria, Greece, Rome, it said that I. Right. But something really phenomenal, phenomenal or very interesting happen in the second half of the 19th century.
00:18:33:13 - 00:18:58:09
Speaker 4
And that is that, all of a sudden there were opportunities for people to move globally. And then we saw tremendous movement of scientists all over the world. At the time, the center of science was in Europe. And so but that happened that people came to Europe, Germany, the UK, France, and went back to their countries.
00:18:58:14 - 00:19:20:20
Speaker 4
So what I'm going through is that science has always been a little bit local. So that is the global aspect of it, because everybody participates and there is the local aspects because the, the societies that have the opportunity to, to express and develop the science that takes up a dominant role. So in today's world, that that role is more than localized.
00:19:20:20 - 00:19:49:02
Speaker 4
There are centers of eminence all over the world, but it is still centers of attraction for science. UCLA is one of them. And what happens is, when we look at UCLA today, we we look at the composition of our faculty are still this is extremely international. It couldn't exist. Other why we see people from all over the world, and we interact and interface with colleagues across the world.
00:19:49:04 - 00:20:13:21
Speaker 4
And so the way that we can contribute to the development of science and the, the, our, our responsibility as us, as global citizens, I think, is to, to continue, trying to do that, to sustain, everything that we have and makes it possible for UCLA to be to be, an attractor of, of scientific talent from all over the world.
00:20:13:23 - 00:20:15:18
Speaker 4
I think that will be kind of my my answer.
00:20:15:22 - 00:20:38:17
Speaker 3
That's really insightful. So one of the important points that you're making, is that despite the fact that the production of scientific knowledge is international. So when we think about hypotheses that have to be sort of verified by the international community of scientists and scholars, knowledge one, it sort of manifest itself takes a certain local and national form.
00:20:38:17 - 00:20:59:07
Speaker 3
Right? That's really, sort of valuable for our own understanding of the way in which this global conversation is taking place. I have several thousand response, but maybe I'll get to them. I'll pin them for now, and I'll get to them to you for the, you know, during the during the second part of our conversation. Athena, could you tell us a little bit about about your unit, about the library?
00:20:59:07 - 00:21:20:15
Speaker 3
I mean, we sort of think about the library as the door for faculty, students, staff and alumni, through which they walk. And then they have access to the entire world of knowledges. So could you tell us a little bit about the way in which the library is key to fulfilling our mission of internationalization or internationalism at UCLA and beyond?
00:21:20:17 - 00:21:55:12
Speaker 5
I appreciate the metaphor of the door because, like the pre-modern era, it really was just the door. And today it's in your pocket right now. Hopefully your availing yourselves of our collections and different ways beyond the door. So that's the first, big shift that has happened for libraries, academic libraries. And I want to, put some nuance around my mandate because I want to honor the different kinds of libraries around the world, most importantly public libraries.
00:21:55:14 - 00:22:20:07
Speaker 5
They have a different mandate than academic libraries. So, for your, awareness, we're an academic library situated in a public institution, which means, I'm grateful. And I work here because we are open to the public, but I don't have or the same mandate as my colleagues who are running LA library or the county libraries in how they serve their constituents.
00:22:20:09 - 00:22:55:15
Speaker 5
So that means that, my mandate is for the historical, research and, contemporary research to support the teaching and learning mission, student success research endeavors where our public can engage with our collections in that way. And there's a little nuance there because, the doorway to the library can be a lot of things. For many people when they show up to campus, if my first time ever entering what I would think of a scaled university library was when I was an upperclassman, because I went to community college in Texas.
00:22:55:17 - 00:23:21:08
Speaker 5
So my my experiences with library really centered in these public library settings. And then I walked into my first big academic library, and I had no idea what was going on. It was it was much more it was much more complicated for me. So one of the things that, when it comes to our students and the international students and our local students is to make sure when they come in the library that they have an awareness of how they can get to things.
00:23:21:08 - 00:24:02:11
Speaker 5
But we have to do it in two fold, both online and on site. For students where English is not their first language. For students where California isn't their original home. And how we do that in the library is, as complex as the disciplines that we serve. And in that way, I think that that for UCLA, for our campus, I think what's exciting is that we are a work global because we're in Los Angeles and in areas where the library really situates itself in advancing international endeavors is my fulfilling the research, teaching and learning mandate across the campus, but also something bigger, that that's important.
00:24:02:11 - 00:24:31:18
Speaker 5
And that is just the learning mandate of educating the world. So what excites me about working at UCLA is that we will always be a globally minded library, administering in a way that supports the core curricular and research needs. But we have many international researchers that come to our special collections and to our spaces who expect to encounter the historical record through the curatorial oversight that we've done with these collections.
00:24:31:19 - 00:25:07:09
Speaker 5
On top of that, we have what I like to call medium rare collections. Medium rare collections are those that are really hard to find. Small presses in Asia and Africa and Latin America all over the world that we collect in, but we still circulate. But it's a smaller print run. It's a it's a deeper connection. And, when we're talking about turbulent times, I was talking to one of my colleagues who said, you know, we have to know if there's unrest in a in a certain part of the world before we think about how we can make sure we can get document that historical record, and we don't want to do it from an
00:25:07:09 - 00:25:46:22
Speaker 5
extractive nature. We want to do it in a, in a collaborative way. So there's just so many elements to how libraries play a role in advancing global initiatives. And a few examples that I wanted to name was our Modern Endangered Archives program that we work on that's, very popular and well used. And, and through a generous, funding from the Arcadia Foundation, we also have an incredible international and area studies program at the library that I'm very proud of, that does this medium rare work that I talked about in rare work, a world renowned East Asia library that I'm looking at, the director who's smiling, proudly, me saying this because that
00:25:46:22 - 00:26:10:19
Speaker 5
that is a, wonderful resource that puts us on the map across the United States is one of the best East Asian library libraries in the in the country. We have the film and television archive in the library, which speaks for itself. It's a brand that should exist in the city, but really is the, manifestation of one of the most important art forms that comes out of the United States, which is the art of film and television.
00:26:10:19 - 00:26:36:20
Speaker 5
And we're very excited to have a renowned collection like that. And finally, of course, our our library special collections that have, some incredibly rare items that I'm very proud of. And I'd be remiss if I didn't, name other libraries on this campus that I don't administer that also enhance our global and global, and experience the ethnic studies library libraries whose colleagues, that I work with, vice provost.
00:26:36:20 - 00:27:00:02
Speaker 5
You on those and working with them. I'm really proud of those collections. So those are some examples. But that doorway becomes a challenge when, the expectation for immediate need, and sometimes the immediate need is not just a challenge of getting the materials, but paying for them. Right? That there's a budgetary concern. So turbulence lands in the pocketbook for us many, many times.
00:27:00:02 - 00:27:00:07
Speaker 5
Yeah.
00:27:00:07 - 00:27:30:11
Speaker 3
Thank you. I mean, it's really fascinating for me to listen to, your insight into the, the fact that not all libraries are alike and that you are sort of navigating through these different scales or conceptions of what it means to serve a community or public that belongs to a university. And obviously we're working with different publics or different communities, even when we talk about UCLA, let alone sort of outside of UCLA, but the entire the global city of L.A. and so forth.
00:27:30:12 - 00:27:56:08
Speaker 3
So that's really enlightening. And thank you so much for those examples. I'm hearing in what you've just said, the connection that Miguel has also pointed out between the local and the global and you, how could you sort of provide us with a couple of examples from your, from your unit, from physical sciences that illustrate how this connection is absolutely key to meeting the educational mission?
00:27:56:14 - 00:28:20:17
Speaker 4
Absolutely. There's so many examples really. I mean, that is, this is really the way, science and many aspects of scholarship operate today. Right? We we have faculty, a scholarship, they may do maybe doing fieldwork in, in the Andes, in, in, in the Alps. They could be doing work at, you know, in.
00:28:20:18 - 00:28:45:17
Speaker 4
Yeah, at CERN in, in France to look at high energy particle physics. They could be looking for, dark matter in the, Antarctica. They could be using telescopes in Chile to. Because we need to observe the southern Hemisphere skies so that the activities of our students and faculty spread all throughout the world. So that is global.
00:28:45:17 - 00:29:20:23
Speaker 4
We have collaborations, with, colleagues, scientists, and really across the world. Any given scientist, at any given time is likely to have, multiple collaborations in multiple continents with many people connected through technology and carrying out, complex projects that could not be carried out in a, in a, in a particular location. So, so that the locality comes in, the resources that you have immediately and everything that you have internally, your intellectual and physical infrastructure.
00:29:21:01 - 00:29:58:19
Speaker 4
But that's never going to be enough to be impactful. To be impactful, you need to transcend the the frontiers, the boundaries and and even the boundaries of scholarship, not only the geographical boundaries. So so the concept of local is is powerful and and really impactful because it is through, everything happens at multiple layers. And, I think science would not advance, as quickly, unless it had this structure of so many interrelations and connections that you see between people.
00:29:58:21 - 00:30:27:22
Speaker 4
And of course, we are extremely lucky to bring, attract extremely talented students from all over the world and that many of our faculty, again, are really the best in their fields. And they have chosen to come to UCLA, to, to develop their scholarship. So I think it's, again, I cannot imagine, the scientific enterprise being localized in any one given country.
00:30:28:00 - 00:30:32:05
Speaker 4
It has to be really, transcend, you know, through boundaries.
00:30:32:08 - 00:31:04:19
Speaker 3
Thank you. I, your explanations really sort of clarify for me why in our mission statement, we have the emphasis on UCLA being a global, university. We will get to the sort of the, the part of the title turbulent Times in a moment, in a minute. But even outside of that context, what you, both of you have pointed out is that the decisions that we make at local and national scales are shaped by global events.
00:31:04:21 - 00:31:31:17
Speaker 3
And, for our faculty, students, alumni and staff, it is absolutely important to be able to connect the local with the global in order to understand the issues and to transform that knowledge into some kind of action that benefits either the local community or the nation, or the globe as a as a whole. So thank you so much for for your insights.
00:31:31:19 - 00:32:00:20
Speaker 3
We have a third panelist who doesn't happen to be here right now, but I have his answer to my question. So let me read that out to you. It's about two paragraphs. And then and then we'll move on to the second set of questions. So Eric writes about you next, which is continuing education and extension. Internationalization is essential to UCLA extension's mission, because it strengthens our role as one of UCLA s largest academic outreach divisions.
00:32:00:22 - 00:32:35:05
Speaker 3
Each year, out of the more than 32,000 learners we serve, approximately 2500 come from over 67 countries, bringing global perspectives, professional experiences, and cultural insights that enrich every classroom and program. As the university's continuing and professional education arm, we are uniquely positioned to offer accessible pathways for international students to engage with UCLA's academic excellence while preparing for real world workforce opportunities in California and beyond.
00:32:35:07 - 00:33:10:12
Speaker 3
At the same time, our global reach directly enhances the learning environment for domestic students and working professionals. The presence of international learners fosters cross-cultural dialog, broadens worldviews, and deepens understanding of global markets, industries, and communities through intentionally designed, inclusive, flexible industrial learning programs. UCLA extension helps advance UCLA's mission of serving an interconnected world, expanding access to high quality education while cultivating a vibrant, diverse, and globally aware learning community in Los Angeles.
00:33:10:14 - 00:33:35:09
Speaker 3
I mean, there are I mean, this is also, a treasure trove here. But one of the wonderful things that Eric, highlights in his response to my question is that there is great benefit for our students, for our American students to be in the same classroom, with international students for our students to be engaging with scholars from around the globe and things that you have also pointed out.
00:33:35:09 - 00:33:57:21
Speaker 3
In other words, knowledge is really an international enterprise. Let me move on to the second question, because we do want to get to the turbulent, times. Part of the question, to be sure, you must be doing lots of things. In response to the challenges that we're experiencing. It should come as a surprise to you that higher education is under attack.
00:33:58:03 - 00:34:35:22
Speaker 3
When we look at U.S. history. This is not the first time that universities have come under attack, that academic freedom has been challenged, that we are facing a public that is that has legitimately, serious questions about what we do at universities. So I'd like to hear from you whether, could you give us some of the challenges that your unit is facing and what you are doing to rise to the challenges, what you are doing to advance global education and research, especially in these turbulent times?
00:34:36:00 - 00:34:37:18
Speaker 3
If we could start with you now. Sure.
00:34:37:18 - 00:35:24:08
Speaker 5
Thank you. The the Public trust in higher ed has been a resounding theme. And conferences of university library deans for the past year, we've been talking a lot about what the library's role in that serving that public trust. Resolving the question with a real response that the public can see. And I can't think of a more, ready space than the library's to really be the interstitial areas of translational science, where communities come together, where, all of the humanities and the Stem areas find each other and encounter each other in those spaces.
00:35:24:10 - 00:35:58:04
Speaker 5
And then how we teach the next generation of graduate students, workforce, members of our communities in a way that they can feel an ability to have discernment. I always try to tell folks that the library's job is not to, validate and tell you your opinion is right or wrong. Our job is to give you the tools and the resources that have been validated, so you can form a very educated and well vetted, opinion of your own.
00:35:58:04 - 00:36:34:18
Speaker 5
So we have to cultivate discernment, with a little bit of encouragement, of curiosity. That's something we center in the library. I love expertise, I throw a rock, I'll hit an expert. But I'm more excited about what people are curious about. And that's usually following in our undergraduate sphere what they care about, what they're concerned about. And, educating and being involved at the, outside of the curriculum, but still in support of their successes with the libraries are really good at it's a place where they're not getting graded, where they're having the opportunity to just learn and engage and to feel inspired.
00:36:34:20 - 00:37:07:16
Speaker 5
So our our responsibility in that vein of public trust, intersects in a couple of ways. One of them, what you alluded to, which is, the assault on the academy. While we're not only just the members of the UC, we're also the member of the Big Ten Academic Alliance. So I've been in conversations with my peers there, and it's no secret you can see the legislation happening in some of the states where it's, really intersecting with what's happening in curricula and programs that are happening on campuses that we would call peer institutions.
00:37:07:18 - 00:37:26:15
Speaker 5
I'm very fortunate that that's not something that we're facing with in California, but it's certainly happening to our peers. And when that happens, I think it's happening to all of us. I hope you do, too, and I'm sure you see that. So I have a lot of concerns about what our responsibility is when the canon and when the disruption of the canon is under assault, frankly.
00:37:26:17 - 00:37:49:06
Speaker 5
And really, our responsibility is to continue to double down on collecting and making sure we're, having that historical record. So for many years, I used to evangelizing we we will we will risk repeating history or not. Having the capability to examine it today. I think it's that plus we risk not even having access to it, not even knowing that it's there.
00:37:49:12 - 00:38:14:09
Speaker 5
And that's a bigger risk. That's a lacuna in our current moment that generations from now will not be able to study. And if we don't have that capacity to build and frame the knowledge base from which everyone can do some of that research, enhance and inspire their curiosity, then we won't cross that threshold of having a civically engaged community that feels responsible not only for their present, but for their future.
00:38:14:11 - 00:38:37:14
Speaker 5
And I think the library's, approach to that is, we are facing that in some ways. I'm doing an examination of our structures in the library to make sure we're modernized. That I can build, data informed decision making. Our budgets are tight. And so, my flexibility with how I can acquire materials and work in these ways becomes something I need to look at and not diminish.
00:38:37:16 - 00:38:57:16
Speaker 5
So that's that's more like on the practical side, on the on the broader philosophical side, I think, I'm excited to watch my colleagues engage, engage with the community and understand, our historical record is happening right in front of us. We are you are part of an archival moment, whether you want to be or not.
00:38:57:17 - 00:39:30:05
Speaker 5
You are existing in a very archival moment while being alive in this country. So that is got to be captured. We got to figure out how we do that in ways that are, what we call post custodial kinds of fashion. So we're not just taking the materials and making it ours. The second thing that I want, now that I have a captive audience, is to encourage everyone to, understand that, sometimes, the way we want to access and use materials in our classrooms and our research is rubbing up against law, copyright law, laws about, publication.
00:39:30:07 - 00:40:11:01
Speaker 5
Those are things I care about when we think about open access. That wonderful award that one of my colleagues runs, has, one has a lot to do with our value on open access and the future of open access. And then finally, I think our, going back to the theme of the Chancellor about connection and connectivity, that how do we bring our physical and even our online spaces to an elevated level where you have that, serendipity of encountering each other, encountering each other en route to satisfying your curiosity, to attending an event, to evaluating an exhibition, that those are things that I think that, we're doing in the library pretty,
00:40:11:03 - 00:40:30:05
Speaker 5
pretty heavily right now. And I think that my colleagues, that support those rare, medium rare, and even the colleagues are supporting our classes writ large, across the system are feeling that, urgency of wanting to resolve this. And I didn't say I, but I know that's all on your mind, so, that might come up in a question.
00:40:30:11 - 00:40:50:19
Speaker 3
Yeah. Wonderful. I mean, this shows that institutional stability is extremely important during turbulent times. And at the same time, we have to somehow create a world that is accessible, that is open, and that creates the kind of space where we open, open ourselves up to different sorts of publics. Miguel, how about you?
00:40:50:21 - 00:41:22:18
Speaker 4
So. When, when we think about, science and scholarship in general, I think, the way we can help, promote it is clearly through institutional, organizations and the International institute help us a lot of that. So we have the, the department, the department or organization through organization interactions. And those are really important. But really the key is personal interactions.
00:41:22:20 - 00:41:50:08
Speaker 4
So much what what happens is, individuals from completely different parts of the country or different parts of the world will find common interests and they will start a relation, and then they will start an interaction. Where were they? Perhaps they have complementary knowledge or resources or interests, and they're tackling a given problem. This could be this could include two, three, four or more bigger themes.
00:41:50:10 - 00:42:14:01
Speaker 4
And so the that really is that the, the bulk of a lot of what goes on in the world. So the interact the international collaborations happen organically, the spontaneous, when people meet in a conference where people, you know, visit each other to, to give out a departmental colloquium, and they identify cliques like, oh, we can do this together.
00:42:14:03 - 00:43:07:02
Speaker 4
Right? So the, the that, that is, that is something that is extremely powerful and effective, but right now is an under great threat. In fact, this morning we had a town hall on, international engagement and export control. We see our working motor city here with us. And now what we find is that the practices that we had to have for those interactions are no longer simple, that extremely, now regulated, that there is an incredible level of, concern, governmental concern about those interactions, because clearly there is a connection between basic knowledge and technology, and technology is where the economy drives.
00:43:07:04 - 00:43:47:09
Speaker 4
So there there needs to be care and, and a careful consideration of all of that. But right now everything is extremely more complex. Everything is very difficult. Things that used to be spontaneous and simple now led to many, many steps that need to be taken into account. So what we need to do as a community is recognize that, accept that that is the reality of today and that despite that reality, we need to continue what we do because not only is important, but we actually do enjoy the entire international collaborations.
00:43:47:11 - 00:44:23:14
Speaker 4
So what we need to do as as institutions and organizations, we as UCLA is really prepare all of us to be ready for the new, for this new, world that we have to live in. Right. And and be very intentional now more than ever in establishing those collaborations and pursuing those collaborations. So I want to say that there are parts of the world, parts of the country, what institutions very readily adopt policies that are not particularly good, without really looking at the consequences of those policies?
00:44:23:14 - 00:44:59:06
Speaker 4
And I'm so happy that we are at UCLA and where in California and we do not adopt those perspectives. We want to do what is correct. Right. So I think I think that is critical. So why do we need to do we we need to continue traveling to conferences, international workshops, hosting international visitors, traveling abroad, even if we have to go through many more hurdles of doing it, even if we have to, you know, check our computers, get permission, and whatever we need to do, we have to do it.
00:44:59:12 - 00:45:25:23
Speaker 4
We just cannot stop doing it, even if it is a little bit more work. And more importantly, we need to continue maintaining the climate that we have today, which is one that welcomes international talent. We welcome our colleagues from all over the world. Whatever they come, we celebrate their cultures. We celebrate their knowledge. We celebrate what they bring to us.
00:45:26:01 - 00:45:53:16
Speaker 4
And we have a climate that is, I think, very, very, conducive to to feeling supported and being able to develop that the best that you can do all of your potential. So we we need to maintain a climate that is a healthy climate where international interactions, where we we welcome all of that. So I think that there is a lot, a lot that we can do along those lines.
00:45:53:18 - 00:46:12:01
Speaker 3
I love I love how your answer is sort of touch upon the different levels of like, leadership, institution and faculty student engagement. I mean, you just sort of covered all of them. So that's really wonderful. And you you must have questions for our panelists. So let me quickly sort of go through Eric's response to the second question, and then I'll open up the floor.
00:46:12:03 - 00:46:38:03
Speaker 3
And he writes, UCLA extension is rising to the challenges of this moment by broadening how we engage Lawrence globally, especially as current federal policies such as tightened visa requirements, increased scrutiny at ports of entry and shifting trade and tariff dynamics discourage many prospective international students from coming to the United States. In this environment, our role as a flexible and outward facing academic is increasingly important.
00:46:38:03 - 00:47:03:02
Speaker 3
We are expanding online and hybrid offerings so international learners can access UCLA quality education without travel, and we are developing modular, short term programs that allow students to begin their studies abroad with the option to transition on site when circumstances improve. We'll also strengthen collaboration with global universities, corporations and community partners to co-develop programs that align with shared priorities and regional workforce needs.
00:47:03:02 - 00:47:37:16
Speaker 3
At the same time, we're working more intentionally with campus partners to ensure that continuing education students are fully included in UCLA's international community. This includes expanding access to culture, programing, professional development, events, and community building activities that support belonging and connection for International Bruins by deepening global partnerships, enhancing remote learning pathways, and integrating our international students more fully into UCLA's existing support ecosystem, UCLA extension is helping sustain a vibrant and inclusive global learning environment.
00:47:37:18 - 00:47:59:05
Speaker 3
Despite national policies that limit mobility and create uncertainty for students worldwide. It's really a pity that Eric can't be here. To elaborate further, but, to be sure, I've learned a great deal from reading out Eric's answers and then listening to your questions. We are almost at the end of our time, but I do want to reserve some time for a few questions.
00:47:59:07 - 00:48:32:09
Speaker 3
So if you could, please come forward, use the microphone, state your name and your affiliation, and then phrase your question succinctly. Hopefully that way we can go over as many questions as possible. But I'd like to invite all of you now to ask our panelists your burning questions.
00:48:32:11 - 00:48:35:21
Speaker 5
So is there, a scientist?
00:48:35:21 - 00:48:37:01
Speaker 3
Would you state your name once again?
00:48:37:02 - 00:48:59:00
Speaker 5
Oh, Peggy McInerney from the International Institute. Are there scientific organizations that are lobbying to make sure that this four year, limit on visas for international students doesn't become, you know, permanent thing? Scientific.
00:48:59:05 - 00:49:00:13
Speaker 1
And.
00:49:00:15 - 00:49:27:08
Speaker 4
I cannot tell for sure about it. But, if there's a specific, issue, it's been, addressed. But I know that there are, organizations at every level that that are loving for, for, for a more open, access for, for students to, to to have, you know, the, the opportunity to have a better exchange of, international talent.
00:49:27:10 - 00:49:48:08
Speaker 5
But that but that limit on visas is, was predicted by our local government office that it seems like it will pass so that an international student can only come to the U.S for four years, and that's impossible to sustain what you have been describing.
00:49:48:10 - 00:49:48:16
Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:49:48:16 - 00:49:51:02
Speaker 5
And it seems like every scientist in America.
00:49:51:02 - 00:49:52:12
Speaker 1
Needs to be.
00:49:52:14 - 00:49:58:06
Speaker 5
Lobbying for something like that. Not just the universities, but the scientists themselves.
00:49:58:08 - 00:50:01:22
Speaker 4
Yes. Thank you. I totally agree with that.
00:50:02:00 - 00:50:38:06
Speaker 1
Maybe there's a, I think, Peggy, as a wonderful question, and I just wanted to draw everybody's attention to the five Nobel laureates that the University of California has just been awarded. You know, among them alumni, former faculty, including former international students. So that's the kind of evidence that will, I think, help the international, scientific organization to make the case that if you close the door, you will limit the opportunities of international students to science.
00:50:38:08 - 00:50:41:21
Speaker 1
And it's, you know, it's just very, very clear evidence.
00:50:41:23 - 00:51:09:14
Speaker 3
Okay, we have two more questions. And then, we'll conclude. Shalom. The first question and then next one over there. Hi. Thank you. David Shalom stout. I think this is a question for Athena, but maybe Miguel, you know, so along the theme of local, both of you really highlighted the international dimension dimension of, of global, but the, the local intersection of global.
00:51:09:16 - 00:51:38:14
Speaker 3
So I'm thinking Athena there. Could you elaborate, perhaps with examples of, of, that point of intersection where local communities and global communities intersect in relationship to collections? And, Miguel, are there examples where, in scientific inquiry, the local and global intersect? Let's go to the next question, and then I'll ask the panelist to respond to both questions, pathways that they see.
00:51:38:16 - 00:52:05:02
Speaker 6
Hi, my name is Nicholas Sharif. I'm a fourth year undergraduate student here. I'm here with my peer, Catherine, representing our club, student organization called the Global Development Lab. And so I appreciated hearing about what needs to be done, kind of up the top about, I guess, bolstering international education. But I'm curious what you think should be done among students and what initiative students should be taking, in pursuit of the same thing?
00:52:05:04 - 00:52:29:21
Speaker 5
I try to answer Shalom and maybe a tackle that one that then you could take the rest. So some some examples, a little rock skip of that, from everything from, engaging with, different cuisines across the city and collecting menus and working with our food studies program. I'm looking around the room and I can see collaboration throughout the city.
00:52:29:21 - 00:52:56:06
Speaker 5
So thank you for allowing me to amplify that. We also spent a lot of time we have two archivists dedicated to LA, and they do a lot of that with what I just mentioned. They do things related to different diasporic communities. And to be really honest and frank, and this is part of my own expert background. And what I used to do before I was looking at spreadsheets, is really about, how we can do this with care.
00:52:56:06 - 00:53:16:12
Speaker 5
So some of these, relationships we have with the community is a long game, because there might be some reparative work that UCLA needs to do with certain communities in this city. There might just be a new, conversation that needs to happen. But we do tremendous outreach in that way as well as in engaging with our students here.
00:53:16:12 - 00:53:53:03
Speaker 5
So I'll come to to your question, and I, I strongly believe that, I have not encountered a more ready to activate undergraduate population than right now. And this, this era that we're in. So I appreciate your question. I think a lot of, where would hit the library and how you could help us, continue. That is to really amplify why it's important to have, primary source materials, why it's important to engage with history at the point of point of, the intersection of, closest to that amount of time and why it's important to your studies.
00:53:53:05 - 00:54:21:18
Speaker 5
That's very important to us as well. I should have said it's at the front. We collected more than 400 languages in our libraries across this campus. And I know of 1 or 2 librarians that speak more than five languages. Right. So there's there's a there's a captive audience to engage our students. And by default, UCLA is situated in a city where the, identity is so baked in sort of a home base country means Mexico, right?
00:54:21:20 - 00:54:43:02
Speaker 5
And then also being from the United States and living in United States. So really engaging in an empowering, legacy, you know, be the ancestors that you want your future to be proud of is to really think about who your ancestors were and where they came from, from all walks of life. What we think about identity in this country, and we think about space and agency.
00:54:43:04 - 00:54:50:08
Speaker 5
That is where I think students can amplify, their commitment to global knowledge.
00:54:50:10 - 00:54:54:06
Speaker 4
I will need help with a question again, I didn't quite get the question.
00:54:54:07 - 00:55:14:14
Speaker 6
Oh, no. For sure. I feel like what we've been hearing, is about what needs to be done at the top, to, improve international education and I guess keep it going amid the turbulence. But my questions about what students at this university can and should do to become more involved in international education, especially for those that are passionate about it, like myself.
00:55:14:16 - 00:55:40:20
Speaker 4
Oh, wow. That's a great question. Actually, UCLA and the University of California have really plenty of opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to engage in education, in international education. In fact, our guest here today from France, they're promoting a very exciting program for UCLA students to apply to, to to spend up to one year in France and learn about French, French culture.
00:55:40:22 - 00:56:04:09
Speaker 4
So, so there are many, many unique opportunities to do that. You can take advantage of the year abroad opportunity. For example, there are many institutions around the world who will welcome, UCLA students. So so we're a very resourceful campus from that regard. I think there are plenty of opportunities to, to, to travel abroad and actually even to be engaged.
00:56:04:11 - 00:56:26:09
Speaker 4
As we were talking with the, the, the cosmopolitan aspect of our city, right. We have opportunities to engage with Indian communities, with Mexican communities, from communities from all over the world, really. So you can make the transition from the local, the local to the global. Even within a given culture, which I think is something that only happens in places like Los Angeles.
00:56:26:11 - 00:56:28:12
Speaker 6
It's great. Thank you so much.
00:56:28:14 - 01:15:12:23
Speaker 3
Thank, thank you for your generosity. As we engage, in learning about, your units, thank you so much for joining me on stage. Many thanks to all of you. The. This should not be the end of our conversation, so please join me in thanking the panelists once again.
01:15:13:00 - 01:15:36:15
Speaker 3
Much. And it was very enlightening. Thank you very much for the panelists. And just, would like to, academic freedom is being challenged not only here but also in Europe and all over the world. So, I think we have to be together. And I would like to express on behalf of my government our solidarity, because we need to be together to, to, to protect that which is very important for our democracies.
01:15:36:17 - 01:15:54:19
Speaker 3
And I think that, exchange international exchange is not a zero sum game. It's we need more exchange, we need more connectivity, more creativity between us. So really, thank you very much. And I commend UCLA for what you have been doing and what you are doing. So just wanted to express that, today. Thank you very much.
01:15:54:23 - 01:16:01:03
Speaker 1
Mexico, Mexico, for.
01:16:01:05 - 01:16:38:05
Speaker 1
Well, before I, invite you to our reception, I just wanted to close, today's program by just sharing a few, a few thoughts after listening to this distinguished panel. One is that this is a sample of the inclusive excellence at UCLA. The intellectual depth, the commitment, the resilience. These are all facets of why UCLA continues to be a top public university.
01:16:38:05 - 01:17:14:06
Speaker 1
And number one, number two, doesn't matter. We're we're excellent. The second point is that UCLA is a public university that doesn't have gates, doesn't have fences. We remain open even though, you know, when EVP hunt talked about the fact that, maybe people's some nations are turning away from each other, we are trying to continue to be connecting the peoples and cultures and nations, and we need to be continue to be doing that and to remain open.
01:17:14:08 - 01:17:39:06
Speaker 1
And and the third thing I wanted to say is that the panelists actually share very, very clearly. They want to continue to do the work that they have been doing. They want everyone on campus to continue to really hold on to our core values and hold on to our mission. Our mission does not change and will not change despite the turbulence that we are experiencing.
01:17:39:07 - 01:18:12:07
Speaker 1
And what is our mission? Well, if you go on to the UCLA website and find out, you know, type, type the the words, the key keywords, UCLA purpose or UCLA, this mission, you're going to find the following sentence that UCLA is purpose as a public research university is to create, disseminate, apply, and preserve knowledge for the betterment of the global society so that mission does not change and will not change.
01:18:12:07 - 01:18:42:12
Speaker 1
And I think what despite what's going on, you know, in this country and the world, I think we need to be just continue to remember what the mission is with that, I will invite you to go to the dining room, for a reception. And as you enter the service, the reception area, please pay attention to the photos that we're displaying, because these are photos from our students who have studied abroad and enter a contest, a photo contest.
01:18:42:12 - 01:18:47:17
Speaker 1
And these are the winners of the contest. So please enjoy. Thank you so much for coming.
