SDSU World Campus and Global Affairs Announce New Partnership, New Changes
The previously named SDSU World Campus and Global Affairs are working more closely in partnership and are being rebranded.
In an effort to expand access to academic programming to learners around the world and position San Diego State University as a leader in global education, SDSU World Campus and SDSU Global Affairs have formed a strategic partnership and will be rebranded as SDSU Global Campus and SDSU International Affairs.
The innovative collaboration between the two units emphasizes the university’s efforts to expand its academic infrastructure and create a truly global learning community as outlined in the university’s new strategic plan.
"The collaboration between SDSU Global Campus and SDSU International Affairs is one more example of SDSU's ongoing commitment to expanding international education and increasing access to students in our transborder region and around the world,” said Cristina Alfaro, Interim Associate Vice President of International Affairs. “By remaining committed to values of equity and inclusion as well as harnessing innovative educational technologies and methodologies, expanding our academic infrastructure, and establishing global partnerships, we look forward to amplifying the university's global impact while developing and inspiring global-conscious citizens."
To assist SDSU with fulfilling its strategic priorities, SDSU Global Campus will roll out more than a dozen new programs over the next academic year, which include online master’s programs and degree completion programs.
At the start of 2020, SDSU announced plans to launch bachelor's degree completion programs with microsites located at San Diego Mesa College and Southwestern College. With the launch of business administration and criminal justice, beginning with the academic year 2020-21, these microsites are being introduced to specifically address student and regional educational needs in the contemporary age of lifelong learning, providing valuable SDSU bachelor’s degree attainment options for non-traditional learners.
To meet the needs of learners around the world, SDSU Global Campus is also creating a new Student Center that will guide students from initial contact through the enrollment process and beyond graduation. Along with these new student services, SDSU Global Campus will launch a new, streamlined website in the fall to encourage student engagement and successful completion.
“Our universal challenges such as economic security, access to healthcare and higher education, are borderless,” said SDSU Global Campus Dean Radhika Seshan. “Collaborating with SDSU International Affairs and our expert faculty, SDSU Global Campus will expand access to our academic programs, increasing opportunities, and creating positive impact beyond boundaries.”
Concurrent with the changes at SDSU Global Campus, SDSU International Affairs, which remains housed in the Division of Academic Affairs, will support the university’s strategic goals through study abroad programs, student exchange programs, internships, faculty-led programs, and other initiatives focused on engaging with international learners.
Ranked in the top five nationally among universities for the number of students studying abroad, SDSU has long emphasized an international academic experience as a key component to a well-rounded and impactful education that fosters higher levels of academic achievement and retention in school and prepares students for a global workforce.
SDSU is also a popular destination for international students seeking to study in the U.S. More than 2,700 international students from more than 70 countries on five continents attended SDSU in 2018-19. The university’s location on the U.S.-Mexico border and its recognized status as an international gateway are advantages in promoting study abroad and other global education and research.
SDSU International Affairs will also focus its efforts on revamping their student support capabilities. These internationally-focused student services include a dedicated passport office, admissions and advising services, and travel support services.
It will also lead the university on its internationally-focused research and assessments to support the needs of communities across the globe, as well as bi-national initiatives focused on the university’s close proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, including the second annual RE:Border Bi-national Conference.
RE:Border 2020, scheduled this year for Nov. 12-13 in San Diego and Tijuana, will focus on challenges and solutions related to mobility and migration in the transborder region of California and Baja California. Academic experts, practitioners, students, public policy experts, and community stakeholders will explore how San Diego State University and its regional partners can contribute to innovative solutions in the transborder region.
