A primary function of the International Projects unit is to prepare and submit funding proposals for international education and training programs for the University of Delaware, and to help administer the successful proposals. In carrying out this function, the unit works with all other interested academic and administrative units of the University. Such partnerships are a cornerstone of the Center's vision for furthering international education and training at the University: they are interdisciplinary, faculty-based, and collaborative.
A Brief History
The University of Delaware first engaged in international projects on a large scale during the early 1990s. In 1991, the University was awarded a multi-million dollar, multi-year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) grant to conduct a Management Training and Economics Education program in Bulgaria. Since that original award, USAID-sponsored University activities grew rapidly in number and scope throughout the region, culminating with the establishment of other programs in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia in the late 1990s. By 2001, UD had received over $24 million in USAID funding in the Balkans for training and technical assistance programs. These funds have been supplemented by an additional $3 million in U.S. Information Agency/U.S. Department of State support for a wide range of on-campus training, cultural, and educational programs involving participants from around the world. In 2002, the Center for International Studies was established as a University-wide unit, replacing the former office of International Programs and Special Sessions. The Center's International Projects unit remains responsible for the University's international education and training grants.
The Delaware International Training and Education Partnership
The Center for International Studies works closely with the State of Delaware, a relationship exemplified by the Delaware International Training and Education Partnership (DITEP). DITEP builds on the University's tradition of service as a land-grant institution, as well as long-standing ties between the Center, the Delaware Economic Development Office and the State Personnel Office to create a framework through which the partners can:
- mobilize joint resources to develop funding proposals and implement international education and training projects
- establish a regular dialogue on issues affecting international training and education
- Jointly engage the public, private, and non-profit sectors in Delaware to expand international education and training opportunities
DITEP's membership is comprised of the following:
Mr. John Pastor
International Trade Section
Delaware Economic Development Office
Carvel State Building
820 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Mr. Joseph Hickey
State Personnel Office
Carvel State Building
820 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Lesa Griffiths, Ph.D.
Center for International Studies
University of Delaware
186 S. College Avenue
Newark, DE 19716
Scott Stevens, Ed.D.
English Language Institute
University of Delaware
189 W. Main Street
Newark, DE 19711
