Institute for Global Studies
214 Social Sciences
267 19th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Phone: 612-624-9007
Fax: 612-626-2242
E-mail: igs@umn.edu

Professional Development Programs

Professional development opportunities encourage educators to explore current issues in international studies through conferences, seminars, short courses and faculty presentations.

Workshops and institutes challenge teachers to combine experience in applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills to international issues with the knowledge and materials needed to engage their students. To prepare our students for global citizenship in the 21st Century, the Institute for Global Studies and the European Studies Consortium are working to strengthen international studies in K-16 education.

The Teacher Summer Institutes combine lectures by University of Minnesota faculty and guest speakers, small group discussions, course readings, fieldtrips and teaching resources to explore international issues and learn strategies for integrating global topics into existing curriculum. The Summer Institutes are funded by a Title VI grant from US Department of Education.

The Institute for Global Studies professional development for educators addresses the following global competencies (as defined by the United States Department of Education) that students gain through disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies:

  • Students investigate the world beyond their immediate environment.
  • Students recognize their own and others' perspectives.
  • Students translate their ideas into appropriate actions to improve conditions.
  • Students communicate their ideas effectively with diverse audiences.

Institute for Global Studies Summer 2013 Institutes for Educators

Registration this year will require immediate online payment. There are a limited number of Travel Scholarships available for those educators coming from outside the Twin Cities metro area. Please email outreach@umn.edu if interested in one of the Travel Scholarships.

Please REGISTER FOR SUMMER INSTITUTES and OPTIONAL HOUSING here.

The Somali Transnational Experience in Europe, Africa, South America and the US

June 17-20, 2013, 9:00am-4:30 pm, Room 614 Social Sciences, West Bank U of MN
Registration deadline: June 3, 2013

Abdi Roble is an award-winning documentary photographer, Executive Director of the Somali Documentary Project and a recognized Champion of Change by President Obama. Roble immigrated to the US from Somalia in 1989.  In 2008 he and the poet, playwright and independent scholar Doug Rutledge authored a book about Somali Immigrants in the US entitled The Somali Diaspora: A Journey Away.

Participants in this summer institute will learn about the migration paths of Somalis out of the Horn of Africa through stories documented by Roble and Rutledge.  Together with University of Minnesota distinguished scholar Martha Bigelow they will explore the social, cultural and educational implications of these present-day migrations for transnational Somali families and communities around the world. The focus of the institute will be on developing a knowledge base about migration experiences, to inform research and teaching on the topic.

Instructors: Dr Martha Bigelow, Doug Rutledge, Abdi Robl

Cost: $100 includes all parking, materials, fieldtrips and lunches
Optional on campus housing available for $300
CEUs: 30

CANCELLATION DEADLINE:  If you need to cancel your registration, a refund minus $20 will be issued to you if you cancel in writing to Deborah Jane outreach@umn.edu by June 3, 2013.  If you cancel after this date, you will not be eligible for a refund.

Integrating Sustainability Topics in the Second Language Classroom

June 24-27, 2013, 9:00am-4:30 pm, Room 614 Social Sciences, West Bank U of MN
Registration deadline: June 10, 2013

Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.

Participants in this summer institute will define sustainability and explore interdisciplinary approaches to the topic in second language classrooms. The focus of the institute will be on developing a knowledge base about sustainability through lectures, networking and field trips to local gardens and Target Field to learn about local sustainability initiatives.

Instructors: Dr. Beth Kautz, Dr Diane Tedick, Dr Patricia Mougel, Dr Charlotte Melin, Dr Frances Matos-Schultz, Barrett Columbo Institute on the Environment

Co Sponsors: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA)

Cost: $100 includes all parking, materials, fieldtrips and lunches
CEUs: 30
Optional on campus housing available for $300

CANCELLATION DEADLINE:  If you need to cancel your registration, a refund minus $20 will be issued to you if you cancel in writing to Deborah Jane outreach@umn.edu by June 10, 2013.  If you cancel after this date, you will not be eligible for a refund.

Both Science/ language educators from same school encouraged to attend together, but not required. (Discount offered for science educator attending with language educator; contact outreach coordinator for more information prior to registration.)

The Holocaust in European Memory

July 8-11, 2013 9:00am-4:30 pm, Room 614 Social Sciences, West Bank U of MN
Registration deadline: June 24, 2013

Kristallnacht, the nation-wide anti-Jewish pogrom that took place throughout Germany, Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia (newly occupied by the German army) on November 9, 10, 1938 will be commemorated throughout the next year in recognition of the 75th anniversary of the event.

Historians and scholars believe that Kristallnacht was the pre-condition for Auschwitz and the beginning of what we now know as the Holocaust. As CHGS director Alejandro Baer wrote in November, “Kristallnacht stands out as a warning of this lethal historical sequence, which always already lingers in an early seed called indifference.”

While the Holocaust teaches valuable lessons for our world, there is a fear that the further we move away from the event, the harder it will be to remember and memorialize in a compelling way for today’s audiences. Recently new technology has given rise to using holograms, smart phone apps and bar code scanners to help youth connect to the Holocaust. Is this the way to educate future generations?

In this workshop we will examine questions such as how the Nazi murder of European Jews became "The Holocaust"? How is this story conveyed through public memorials, school curricula, art, literature and film? How has the Holocaust been contextualized and rendered meaningful within the diversity of European nations and in the distant US? And what are its implications for teaching the Holocaust in the classroom?

We will approach the topic from an interdisciplinary perspective, with internationally recognized scholars in the fields of history, sociology, literature and German/European studies from the University of Minnesota and Gustavus Adolphus College. Speakers will focus on historiography, testimony, media and visual arts and will assist educators in creating curriculum and lessons they can incorporate into their classrooms.

Instructors: Dr. Alejandro Baer, Dr. Leslie Morris, Dr. Joachim Salvelsberg, Dr. Elizabeth Baer, Jodi Elowitz

Cost: $100 includes all parking, materials, fieldtrips and lunches
CEUs: 30
Optional on campus housing available for $300

CANCELLATION DEADLINE:  If you need to cancel your registration, a refund minus $20 will be issued to you if you cancel in writing to Deborah Jane outreach@umn.edu by June 24, 2013.  If you cancel after this date, you will not be eligible for a refund.

(Exploring World Religons) Global Religious Issues in Local Context: Relationships among Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Hindus

Dates: July 15-18, 2013 9:00am-4:30 pm, Room 614 Social Sciences, West Bank U of MN
Registration deadline: July 1, 2013

Religion is defined as a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

For centuries different religious groups have developed and been born of one another. When we examine world religions we are often surprised to find the overwhelming amount of similarities between the groups.

This workshop will focus on the diversity and on the relationships that have existed among Jews, Christians, Muslims and Hindus in several global regions. And how they interact in the Twin Cities.

We will begin with a brief overview of each tradition, followed by close examination of periods of cooperation and conflict in the Middle East, Europe and Northern India. Using this background, participants will turn their attention to the contemporary relationships being developed in the U.S., using the Twin Cities as a guide. The workshop will include lectures and discussions with several academic experts and religious professionals. We will also tour several local religious institutions.

Instructors: Dr. Jeanne Kilde,Dr. Susan Noakes,Dr. Marilyn Chiat,Virajita Singh,Dr. Daniel Schroeter, Dr. Iraj Bashir, The Reverend,Dr. Tom Duke,St. Paul Interfaith Network (SPIN), Nahid Khan,PhD candidate,School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Islamic Resource Group.

Minnesota Social Studies Standards: this institute will addess the following benchmarks from the MN Social Studies Standards 2011

  • 8.4.3.14.3 Describe varieties of religious beliefs and practice in the contemporary world
  • 9.4.3.8.3 Analyze the emergence, development, and impact of religions and philosophies of this era (Classical Traditions, Belief Systems, and Giant Empires: 2000BCE-600CE)
  • 9.4.4.16.7 Describe the growth of colonial societies in British North America, including the evolution of representative forms of government, increased ethnic and religious pluralism, and changing concepts of racial identity, gender roles, and family organization
  • 9.4.4.23.3 Explain the difference between and immigrant and a refugee; describe various immigrant, migrant and refugee groups

Cost: $100 includes all parking, materials, fieldtrips and lunches
CEUs: 30
Optional on campus housing available for $300

CANCELLATION DEADLINE:  If you need to cancel your registration, a refund minus $20 will be issued to you if you cancel in writing to Deborah Jane outreach@umn.edu by July 1, 2013.  If you cancel after this date, you will not be eligible for a refund.

Global Dimensions of the Food Industry
Global Business Summer Institute for Teachers

Dates: August 5-8, 2013, 9:00 am-4:30 pm, Carlson School of Management (Room TBA)
Registration deadline: July 22, 2013

In this workshop participants will learn about international trends in agriculture, food policy, food distribution and consumption, and trade. Participants will examine global food supply chains and operations, understand how Minnesota food companies market to consumers and customers in other parts of the world, and explore food safety issues in a global context.

We will explore these topics through class sessions, case studies, and discussions with local companies. The program includes a site visit to International Dairy Queen to discuss how it customizes, markets and prices its products internationally. Small group discussions will help participants integrate material into their classrooms.

The University of Minnesota CIBER is one of 33 centers nationwide designed to increase the nation's capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise. It serves as a regional resource for businesses, educators, researchers, and students. CIBER’s initiatives focus on environmental sustainability, emerging markets, and less commonly taught languages.

Instructors: Pamela Smith, Carlos Torelli, education staff from the National Center for Food Protection and Defense.

Sponsors Center for International Business Education and Research(CIBER), Institute for Global Studies UMN

Cost: $100 includes all, materials, fieldtrips and lunches

Minnesota State Academic Standards as they relate to Global Dimensions of the Food Industry

This institute will address the following standards and/ or benchmarks from the MN Social Studies Standards 2011. First number indicates grade level; 9 represents 9th-12th grades.

  • 6.2.3.5 Standard: Individuals, businesses, and governments interact and exchange goods, services, and resources in different ways and for different reasons, interactions between buyers and sellers in a market determines the price and quantity exchanged of a good, service, or resource
  • 7.2.4.5 Standard: Individuals, businesses, and governments interact and exchange goods, services, and resources in different ways for different reasons. Interactions between buyers and sellers in a market determine the price and quantity exchanged of a good, service or resource.
  • 8.2.1.1 Standard: People make informed economic choices by identifying their goals, interpreting and applying data, considering short and long run costs and benefits of alternative choices, and revising their goals based on their analysis
  • 9.2.1.1Standard: People make informed economic choices by identifying their goals, interpreting and applying data, considering short and long run costs and benefits of alternative choices, and revising their goals based on their analysis
  • 9.2.4.5 Standard: Individuals, businesses, and governments interact and exchange goods, services and resources in different ways and for different reasons. Interactions between buyers and sellers in a market determine the price and quantity exchanged of a good, service or resource.
  • 9.2.4.7 Standard: resource markets and financial markets determine wages, interest rates and commodity prices
  • 9.2.5.12 Standard: International trade, exchange rates and international institutions affect individuals, organizations, and governments throughout the worlds


CEUs: 30
Optional on campus housing available for $300

CANCELLATION DEADLINE: If you need to cancel your registration, a refund minus $20 will be issued to you if you cancel in writing to Deborah Jane outreach@umn.edu by July 22, 2013. If you cancel after this date, you will not be eligible for a refund.

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Teaching Global Indigenous Issues through Film: A Focus on the Sami people of Finland and the People of Turtle Island

August 26-27, 2013, 9:00 am-4:00pm, Northern Lights Conference Center
Registration deadline: August 12, 2013

There are over 370 million indigenous peoples who nurture and embody 80% of the world’s cultural and biological diversity, while occupying only 20% of the worlds land surface. Minnesota is currently home to 11 tribes of Indigenous peoples, who for years have fought for their rights to preserve their rich traditions and cultural heritages for future generations.

The Sami are the indigenous peoples living in the very north of Europe, in the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula.  The Sami are considered one people but like Native Americans in the U.S. the Sami are diverse groups of people based on their pattern of settlement and forms of sustainability.

In Finland the Sami were recognized as an indigenous peoples in the Finnish Constitution in 1995. This gives the Sami the right to maintain and develop their language and culture as well as their traditional livelihood, which includes reindeer herding. However, the Sami face many challenges in regards to these rights, as the government controls 90 percent of their lands. There are 9000 Sami people living in Finland today.  Much like their American counterparts they fear assimilation will destroy their way of life and unique culture. 

Participants in this 2-day workshop will have the opportunity to meet Sami people from Finland, scholars and native leaders from Turtle Island who will discuss “Indigenous” identity in a global and local context. The focus of this workshop will be on the development of knowledge necessary to incorporating these issues into the classroom.

Instructors:  Dr. Angelica Lawson, Dr. Matti Jutila

Collaboration between Institute for Global Studies UMN, Department of American Indian Studies UMN, and Leech Lake Tribal College; to take place up on Leech Lake Indian Reservation, Northern Lights Casino, Leech Lake Room, Walker, MN.

Cost: $50 includes all materials, parking, and lunches
CEUs:15
Lodging Hotel accommodations available at Northern Lights Hotel, Walker, MN 1-866-652-4683

CANCELLATION DEADLINE:  If you need to cancel your registration, a refund minus $20 will be issued to you if you cancel in writing to Deborah Jane outreach@umn.edu by August 12, 2013.  If you cancel after this date, you will not be eligible for a refund.