IV. A Global Perspective

Fordham has always been actively engaged in the world. We have campuses on three continents. Nationally, only about 14 percent of students study abroad; at Fordham, 36 percent of undergraduates take advantage of our 125 study abroad programs in 52 countries. Four thousand Fordham students engage in community service around the globe every year. But as impressive as these and other efforts are, we need to ensure that they add up to something greater. Through better coordination and integration of our global efforts and by more effectively leveraging the network of Jesuit colleges and universities in 112 countries, we can offer all our students the best possible preparation for becoming mindful, caring citizens of the world.

A. Establish Fordham as a Thought-Leader About Global Critical Challenges

1. Promote distinctive foci of teaching and research excellence on pressing world issues where Fordham can bring spiritual insights and marshal particular academic strengths from the humanities, social sciences and professions.
    
2. Position Fordham as an institution known internationally for its expertise regarding the centrality of faith in human culture and the emerging questions of global religious conflict, security and stability, terrorism and extremism—grounded in the University's longstanding strengths in the study of religious ideas and texts, languages, and cultures.
    
3. Develop Fordham partnerships with other universities, especially the network of Jesuit colleges and universities in 112 countries, in order to bring our coordinated capabilities, interests, and resources to bear on a number of specific global challenges.

B. Extend Fordham’s Global Engagement

1. Substantially increase the number and diversity of Fordham’s international undergraduate students as well as the resources necessary for them to thrive on campus.
    
2. Incorporate global perspectives into all academic curricula to prepare undergraduate, graduate, and professional students as thoughtful citizens of the world.
    
3. Develop strong global competencies among students, faculty, and staff through cocurricular programming, service learning, study and living experiences abroad, a robust foreign language program, and “internationalization at home” experiences.
    
4. Foster partnerships to permit faculty and students to collaborate and study with colleagues at other institutions around the world, as well as to develop additional inter-institutional academic programs.
    
5. Ensure alignment between Fordham’s sites in London, Pretoria, and Beijing and the University’s strategic goals.