Going global

Taking K-State to the world and bringing the world to K-State.

Africa

Swahili language courses expanding at K-State
K-State is now offering four semesters of Swahili instruction: Swahili I and II, both offered since fall 2007, and the new Swahili III and IV. While the courses are open to any student, they are encouraged for students who are in K-State's African studies program; plan research in Africa or to study abroad in Africa; or who have a general interest in the continent.

K-State food safety experts training Cochran fellows from Egypt
K-State's Doug Powell, associate professor of food safety, and Justin Kastner, assistant professor of food safety and security, both in the department of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, will train five U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service Cochran Fellows visiting from Egypt.

African dance and music ensemble to feature the social dance and music of Ghana
The ensemble will perform on campus and in surrounding communities and may offer interactive workshops in African music and dance. The ensemble is an opportunity to bring diversity from other world cultures to the community.

Researchers combine veterinary medicine, anthropology and conservation to examine use of native plants in animal health
When animals in southern Africa are sick, often the first place their caretakers look for help is from native plants. That's what makes understanding and conserving these plants so important, according to a group of Kansas State University researchers who are learning more about the uses of such plants in veterinary medicine.

With university in Ghana, researchers work to create biofuels from native tree seeds
K-State biologists are working with a researcher in Ghana to create biodiesel from the seeds of trees that are common and well adapted to the climate of northern Ghana. Walter Kpikpi from the University for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus, in Ghana is leading a project that will make biodiesel for local farmers in Ghana from seeds collected by local farmers.

Biologist collaborating with researchers in Botswana, South Africa on grassland sustainability, biodiversity
With a campus situated in the Kansas Flint Hills and access to the Konza Prairie Biological Station, Kansas State University researchers certainly know grasslands. They're using that expertise to collaborate with researchers in Botswana and South Africa on studies of African grasslands.

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Asia

Veterinary anesthesiologist helping to train Afghanistan's future veterinarians
Dr. David Hodgson, a professor in K-State's department of clinical sciences, just returned from his third trip to Afghanistan, where he's been working with Kabul University to better prepare the country's future veterinarians.

K-State working on exchange programs with China
China is one of the oldest and most continuous civilizations on the plant, so students at K-State can benefit from learning about the country and studying there, according to Bill Meredith, special assistant to the provost and past director of K-State's School of Family Studies and Human Services.

Graduate, undergraduate grain science and industry students study abroad in China
Besides technical contents, the course was designed to give students a chance to experience Chinese culture, history, geography, economy and politics.

National Guard taps K-State agriculture expertise before going to Afghanistan
A team of Kansas National Guard soldiers spent a week in Manhattan learning about various aspects of agriculture before they head to Afghanistan’s Laghman Province this spring as part of a three-year effort.

Pakistani men, Kansans exchange cultural knowledge during visit to K-State
Twenty-three college-age men from Pakistan were selected to participate in "Experience America," a short-term experiential training program. Although they admitted to having mixed emotions in coming to Kansas rather than California, such feelings began to dissipate as they moved into Jardine Apartments on K-State’s campus and began meeting students at Kramer Dining Center.

Engineering students travel to India to help with three projects
Four Kansas State University engineering students and an engineering professor helped with three projects in India to improve living conditions in the villages of Purkal and Jaspur.

2009 Udall Scholar studying in China
Andrew McGowan, senior in agronomy with a soil and environmental science option from Prairie Village, is studying abroad at the Beijing Language and Culture University in China.

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Europe

Gilman Scholars studying in Prague, Czech Republic
Two Kansas State University students are recipients of the 2009 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship that provides up to $5,000 for undergraduate study abroad, bringing the university's total to 24.

Students learn about European business market during international business course
The goals of the trip were to expose students to global businesses and organizations, have students experience several foreign cultures, and to help students learn more about international business through a fun and involving experience.

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Latin America

K-State to participate in student exchange with Brazilian universities
Kansas State University has received a $257,000 four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education for a U.S.-Brazil student exchange program.

Students from K-State's College of Education spend part of summer assisting teachers in Guatemala and learning about different cultures
To prepare for careers as future teachers in classrooms with diverse students, 10 undergraduates from Kansas State University's College of Education spent three weeks this summer in Guatemala to enhance their abilities to work with and relate to students from all backgrounds.

K-State plant pathologists develop online teaching tool, workshop in Bolivia
Karen Garrett, K-State associate professor of plant pathology, and Lorena Gomez, a master's student in plant pathology at K-State, and their Bolivian collaborators received the American Phytopathological Society's 2009 Global Experience Award for a workshop on statistics in plant disease epidemiology and agriculture. The award also went to their workshop collaborators, Antonio Gandarillas of the Bolivia-based Fundacion PROINPA and Jorge Cusicanqui Giles of Universidad Mayor de San Andres in La Paz, Bolivia.

K-State students gain global perspective by serving in Mexico, other countries abroad
K-State's International Service Teams, which are coordinated through the School of Leadership Studies, allow students from multiple disciplines to work with a community to plan and implement service projects during a roughly two-month stay in the summer.

Students travel to U.S.-Mexico border area to learn about cross-border operations
A combination of 12 K-State undergraduate and graduate students traveled to destinations related to food safety, food defense and food security in Las Cruces, N.M., and El Paso, Texas, during a field trip. The trip was through the Frontier program, an interinstitutional program with K-State and New Mexico State University. The interdisciplinary program is for the historical studies of border security, food security and trade policy.

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International conferences

International Conference on Attosecond Physics
July 28-Aug. 1
The first Attosecond Physics Conference took place in 2007 in Dresden, Germany, at the Max Planck Institute for Complex Systems. Because of the J.R. MacDonald Laboratory's reputation, K-State was chosen to host the second conference.

Fusarium Laboratory Workshop
June 21-26
Researchers representing nearly 30 countries came to Kansas State University to better understand Fusarium and strategies for dealing with the fungus.

Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology Workshop
June 19-26
Kansas State University once again was host to a noted microbiology workshop that helps the scientists who test food and other samples for microorganisms with the 29th annual Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology workshop.

African Issues Symposium: Food security, environmental sustainability and human health
March 30-April 1
The interconnected nature of environmental sustainability, agriculture and human livelihoods, combined with K-State's expertise in these areas, is why the university is host to the African Issues Symposium.

Emerging Infections: A Tribute to the One Medicine, One Health Concept
Nov. 13 and 14, 2008
Many of the world's top experts in infectious diseases are on the Kansas State University campus.

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Links

Office of international programs
This office is responsible for Study Abroad, the English Language Program, International Student and Scholar Services, and International Pre-Admissions/International Recruiting for K-State.

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