Thursday, July 14, 2011

Temple’s President Hart receives award for international leadership

Temple University President Ann Weaver Hart has been named a 2011 recipient of the Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.Established in 2000, the Malone awards recognize those who have made significant contributions to international education at public and land-grant institutions. Hart received the award in the Presidential Leadership category, which recognizes exceptional contributions toward internationalization of state and land-grant institutions by university chief executive officers.

I am deeply honored to be selected to receive the 2011 Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award,said Hart.Globalization has changed everything. If our institutions do not internationalize teaching, research and outreach, our students will be increasingly left behind in a dynamic and changing world and increasingly unaware of the true nature of that world.Under President Hart’s leadership, Temple has become progressively more internationalized, with global commitment emphasized as one of the university’s four top priorities identified in its strategic plan, the Academic Compass.Several key initiatives put in place during Hart’s presidency have helped students recognize their potential as citizens of the world and as collaborators and competitors in a global marketplace. She and her husband have personally established and funded the Ann and Randy Hart Passport Program, which covers the application fee for a U.S. Passport for students who have not previously traveled out of the country. Over the past five years, more than 200 undergraduate students have benefitted from the program.

Hart's international programmatic accomplishments include the development of the Diamond Ambassador Scholarship program, which provides $2,500 grants to up to 25 students each year to help support a for-credit study abroad experience. In addition, the university’s general education program for all undergraduates, begun in 2008, includes a selection of courses designed to teach students to understand the many influences on world societies, analyze materials related to global cultures and become informed observers of world events.Another of Hart's priorities has been the creation of new agreements with institutions abroad to increase the number of international students and scholars at Temple. Since 2006, 60 new international partnerships have been established, creating opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, professional and research collaborations, study abroad partnerships and joint degree programs.

Other initiatives at Temple have included the creation of a comprehensive Office of International Affairs to spearhead the university’s global efforts and the development of an International Educator's Academy certificate program for full-time faculty and administrators interested in increasing their knowledge and skills in the area of international education, research and programming.

The Malone awards are named in honor of Michael P. Malone, president of Montana State University from 1991 until his death in 1999. Malone made many contributions to MSU and U.S. higher education through his work as chair of APLU’s Commission on International Programs, where he focused the group’s efforts on issues critical to international programs and increased its stature within APLU and elsewhere.This year’s Malone Award recipients exemplify the true spirit of Michael’s legacy with their amazing efforts in international education and development,said APLU President Peter McPherson.Their focus on international problems speaks well of America’s highly regarded university system and the willingness of our scholars to promote higher education at home and across the globe.Other 2011 recipients of the award are Vish Prasad, vice president for research and economic development at the University of North Texas, and Peter H. Koehn, professor of political science at the University of Montana.

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