Globalize your degree with international experiences that set you apart.
In our increasingly interconnected global world, educators encounter classrooms more diverse than ever before. To address this reality, the College of Education has broadened its curriculum, introducing study abroad programming and the Global Education Studies (GES) minor. These initiatives afford students the opportunity to delve into the intricacies of world languages and cultures, while engaging in global community experiences, histories, socio-economic perspectives, and cross-cultural comparison to the United States. Whether you want to gain experience abroad or enhance your degree with the GES minor, all students at URI are welcome to participate in our global education programs.
Bring the world into your classroom.
Global Education Programs and Partnerships
Strategic Partnerships
The Feinstein College of Education’s strategic partnership with the Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUB) offers students a powerful gateway to global learning, rooted in more than 30 years of collaboration between URI and TUB. This long‑standing relationship—celebrated for decades with student exchanges, joint research, and cultural engagement—continues to expand with new opportunities designed specifically for future educators.
Through faculty‑led study abroad programs, students experience comparative education firsthand, engaging in international collaborative coursework, school observations, and intercultural learning alongside German peers. Those who choose to spend a summer semester on the TUB campus gain deeper immersion in Germany’s education system while building a global network and competencies that will enhance their teaching practice.
This partnership also creates opportunities for students to participate in joint research initiatives, virtual exchanges, guest lectures, and collaborative seminars that connect URI learners with an international network of scholars and educators. Together, URI and TUB are shaping globally minded educators prepared to lead in diverse, interconnected learning communities.
Global Education Courses & Faculty-led Programs
Study abroad in Germany or Italy with EDC 441!
- EDC 441: Comparative and International Education Study Abroad (3 crs.)
This course explores how to recognize and respond to the strengths and needs of children and adults from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. Through readings, discussions, and fieldwork, students examine educational practices and policies through an equity‑focused, global lens. Topics include race, class, gender, and inclusion; cultural exchange; the impacts of conflict, poverty, access, and mobility on education; the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders across sectors; and comparative, international, and teacher education in both a selected foreign country and the United States.
Offered annually during Summer Session I, the course is delivered as a hybrid experience—three weeks of synchronous and asynchronous online learning followed by a faculty‑led travel component. The international experience alternates each year between Germany and Italy, allowing students to immerse themselves in diverse educational contexts while applying course concepts firsthand.
Check out our recent Germany faculty-led program highlights!
Interested in studying abroad in Italy or Germany? Contact us today. - EDC 446: Perspectives on “Glocal” Education (3 crs.)
In an increasingly interconnected world, understanding the forces that shape educational experiences requires both a global perspective and a deep appreciation of local contexts. Guided by a glocalized lens, this course invites students to examine how global issues take shape in specific communities and places. As Mannion (2015) challenges us to consider—What if addressing global concerns in education is only possible through the local? Using the 17 UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals as our framework, we will investigate the global and local factors that influence equitable, inclusive, and socially responsive education. Through this exploration, students will gain the insight needed to navigate—and help shape—the future of education in a complex, interconnected world.
Global Education Studies Minor
The Global Education Studies (GES) minor allows students to explore globalization and internationalization of education and educational policies using the critical lens of equity and social justice, human rights and global citizenship. The minor will prepare students with a diversity of backgrounds with the skill sets to become change agents and leaders in education in today’s globalized world. Students from all majors are welcome to participate or take courses in the minor.
While rooted in the College of Education and emphasizing K–16 education, the minor is open to students from all majors. Whether you aspire to teach, work with international organizations, influence policy, or pursue graduate studies, the GES minor offers a powerful foundation for careers both in the U.S. and abroad. If you’re passionate about global issues and want to make an impact, this is your opportunity to turn that passion into action.
Global Education Events
From our signature Global Education Symposium to interactive workshops and guest lectures, URI offers events that connect you with thought leaders and innovative ideas shaping education worldwide such as the 2025 Global Citizenship in Action symposium we co-hosted with our partners at the Technische Universität Braunschweig. These experiences provide opportunities to network, learn, and engage with global perspectives right here on campus.
Check back frequently to learn about upcoming events!
Contact
If you’re interested in learning more about these global education opportunities, please contact us.
For questions, contact:
Colleen Rossignol, Director, Global and English Language Programs