Visit from Universität Hamburg leaders solidifies IU School of Education’s commitment to international work

UHH faculty Judith Lohner and Courtney Peltzer-Hönicke, Cindy Hmelo-Silver, Leonard Taylor, Miguel Ayllon (associate vice president for international affairs at IU), Jeff Anderson, Hauke Heekeren (UHH President), Anastasia Morrone, Claus Krieger (incoming FoE Dean), Faridah Pawan and Thomas Nelson Laird

Earlier this month, leaders and faculty from Universität Hamburg visited the IU School of Education. The visit’s focus was on reinforcing the strong institutional relationship based on robust ongoing engagements between the School of Education and the Faculty of Education at UHH. The visit also helped to expand on activities in research as well as exchanges between students, staff, and faculty.

Since 1977, IU and UHH have been engaged in exchanges, with both universities recently renewing their engagement with a signed partnership agreement through October 31, 2025.

UHH’s Faculty of Education (FoE) and the SoE specifically have actively taken up the renewal as with engagement at three tiers, including student, staff, and faculty exchanges, co-teaching and collaboration, and ultimately, research collaboration. According to Faridah Pawan, Faculty Fellow in Global and International Engagement and IU ASEAN Gateway Academic Director, the series of collaborative activities, labeled as the “Meeting of the Minds” series, included exchange visits by the Deans of both schools, IU faculty visits to UHH, and joint development of research proposals and conference presentations. There are also plans under way for SoE and UHH faculty to jointly teach courses.

As part of the robust ongoing collaboration between the School of Education and the UHH Faculty of Education, the SoE Global and International Engagement unit led the organization of the first trilateral forum from November 4-11 with National Taiwan University (NTU). Faculty Adam Maltese, Day Greenberg and Daniel Hickey represented SoE scholars in the forum. Organized in a “think-tank” format, it brought together a small group of scholars from the three institutions in intensive weeklong discussions on research and pedagogy involving innovations in technology and e-learning in education. The group also visited Xitou State Park to learn about NTU’s efforts in environmental education. The SoE Global and International Engagement unit initiated the forum and obtained financial support for faculty from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office and the IU Office of the Vice President for International Affairs.