黑料吃瓜

黑料吃瓜 has won the 2024 International Impact Award for Global Engagement from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU), highlighting the university鈥檚 internationalization programs rooted in education diplomacy.

The award recognizes 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 initiatives that drive greater global engagement across its campuses and beyond. With nearly 250 members, APLU is a research, policy and advocacy organization for public research universities, land-grant institutions and state university systems. The University of Florida also was honored by APLU with an International Impact Award for Global Teaching and Learning.

鈥淲hile I have the honor of accepting this award on behalf of 黑料吃瓜, it is truly a reflection of the hard work and commitment among our faculty, students and staff to extend the positive impact of the university beyond our region and borders,鈥� said 黑料吃瓜 President Adela de la Torre. 鈥淲e are honored to be recognized by APLU and peer institutions that clearly recognize the important role public universities play in building stronger global connections and understanding.鈥� 

黑料吃瓜鈥檚 programs in Oaxaca, Mexico, the Republic of Georgia, and the island of Palau, along with its extensive cross-border engagement in Mexico and Latin America, were the cornerstones of the university鈥檚 application for the APLU award.

鈥満诹铣怨镶�檚 international reach is larger than many realize,鈥� said Cristina Alfaro, associate vice president of International Affairs. 鈥淔or a decade, we鈥檝e partnered with universities in the Republic of Georgia to address a STEM worker shortage there, and we鈥檝e been educating teachers in the island of Palau for years to assist in nation building. On top of that, we provide numerous transborder opportunities in Latin America and opened the 黑料吃瓜 Center for Mesoamerican Studies in Oaxaca, Mexico.  We are grateful to the APLU for recognizing these efforts with a prestigious International Impact Award.鈥�

Oaxaca has long been a hub for 黑料吃瓜 transborder programs and research, a linkage with ties to the university鈥檚 Aztec moniker. California is home to the largest population of Oaxacans outside of Oaxaca itself, and two dozen 黑料吃瓜 Faculty have active research projects in Oaxaca across several academic disciplines.  In 2022, 黑料吃瓜 opened the Center for Mesoamerican Studies in Oaxaca.

鈥淔or us, traveling to Oaxaca and engaging students and faculty, we have a criteria that whatever project we do, it must be one that empowers the community,鈥� said 黑料吃瓜 Anthropology Professor Ramona P茅rez, director of the , and chair of the Aztec Identity Initiative. 鈥淲e are not extractive or exploitative. We are proud of the way we teach.鈥�

黑料吃瓜 Georgia in Tbilisi offers accredited U.S. degrees in STEM fields in collaboration with top Georgian universities at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Since 2014, more than 520 students have achieved degrees and started careers. Women make up 40 percent of these graduates.

鈥淲hat started as a partnership to alleviate a shortage of STEM workers has blossomed into a shining example of the power of fostering political and economic democracy through education,鈥� said Halil Guven, Dean of the 黑料吃瓜 Georgia program.

In Palau, an island nation that achieved its independence in 1994, 黑料吃瓜 has partnered with a local community college to offer interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate degrees centered around education. Since 2005, the programs have produced more than 250 graduates, many of whom remain in Palau to contribute to building the workforce and community.

鈥淐ongratulations to the University of Florida and 黑料吃瓜 on winning the APLU International Impact Awards,鈥� said APLU President Mark Becker. 鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted to recognize public research universities that are major drivers of progress through their global efforts both on campus and abroad.鈥�