Global Engagement and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Why is global engagement important now?

The rationale/argument for colleges of agriculture to engage globally is becoming increasingly urgent. It is noteworthy that in “Frontiers of Agricultural Research: Food, Health, Environment, and Communities” (2003), the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources of the National Academy of Sciences identified globalization as one of five research areas requiring special investment and attention. Trade in food, agricultural commodities, and environmental goods and services has become global. Our Iowa producers have never before faced stiffer competition from abroad. Our graduates are entering a marketplace that expects them to operate in a globally interdependent environment as a member of an increasingly diverse work force. Information and communication technology permit effortless, real time communication around the world. Environmental degradation on a global scale directly affects every citizen. Stability in our lives is threatened because of poverty, injustice, and conflict affecting a large portion of the world’s population. Population growth concentrated in developing countries has contributed to the existence of approximately 880 million malnourished people in the world.

The American Council on Education identified the preparation of a globally competent citizenry as an important responsibility of our society:

America’s future depends on our ability to develop a citizen base that is globally competent. Our nation’s place in the world will be determined by our society – whether it is internationally competent, comfortable and confident. Will our citizens be competent in international affairs, comfortable with cultural diversity at home and abroad, and confident of their ability to cope with the uncertainties of a new age and a different world?

It is in our national interest to attract scientists and students to the U.S. as a way of building mutually beneficial links. Unfortunately, there is growing evidence that we are attracting fewer of the best and brightest from other countries due to a variety of obstacles including bureaucratic and perceptual. The loss of representatives of the global community in our college hurts our efforts to create a university environment in which cultural, ethnic, racial, and political diversity are valued as important aspects of the fabric of the ISU community. Charles Vest, former president of MIT, stated that it is in the interest and tradition of universities to open their doors to others.

The cornerstone on which great American research universities are built is openness -- openness of our international boundaries and openness of our campuses to immigrants, visitors, students, faculty, and scholarly colleagues from all over the world. (2004)

Next section: How do we articulate our global vision?