College of Education Hosts Visitors from Northern Ireland, Uzbekistan
News
SUMMARY: Global work at the COE isn’t just about getting faculty, staff, and students into other countries. We have been learning from our colleagues in Northern Ireland and Uzbekistan when they make it to Harrisonburg.
There are lots of ways to gain experience abroad as a JMU student at the College of Education. But that’s only the beginning of honoring the global nature of education and leadership at our College. We also work to honor the diversity present within our walls, both in our colleagues and classmates, and in our international partners who visit.
In the summer of 2023, Dr. Shin Ji Kang did some training work in Uzbekistan as part of a partnership she had forged at conference. As a result of her work, we had the honor of hosting a group of scholars and teachers from Tashkent State University of Economics just before our semester started. Our visitors included Vice Rector Maqsudjon Yuldashev, Vice Rector Gulnora Abdurakhmanova, and teacher trainer Inomiddin Imomov. Discussions included comparisons of education systems in the two nations, possible collaboration in faculty training, and an invitation to present at a TSUE digital conference.
Later in the fall, we had the opportunity to host another contingent, this time from St. Mary’s College in Belfast. St. Mary’s is one of two institutions that train the majority of teachers in Northern Ireland, and the COE has sent faculty and staff to Belfast multiple times to foster this partnership. It was a great treat to welcome Dr. Claire Connolly and Dr. Martin Hagan for a day of school tours and lunch at D-Hall! We look forward to a long future of collaboration on teacher training and exchanges between students, faculty, and staff.
