FAQs

The Office of the Vice President for International Relationsadvances the strategic goals of the university in a global context by developing and strengthening international partnerships, developing international opportunities for students and faculty, hosting foreign delegations and events, and supporting and integrating the global activities of various units on campus.

The Northwestern Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs drives and supports the University's global ambitions: to globalize the University, to catalyze the new ideas that will define our time, and to train the next generation of global leaders. By building the capacity of new and existing global offices, the Institute will improve services and increase opportunities for all Northwestern faculty, students, and staff.

Offices under the Northwestern Buffett umbrella:

The Global Learning Office (GLO), formerly Undergraduate Learning Abroad, combines all study abroad offices — including the Global Engagement Studies Institute — into an integrated resource for Northwestern students seeking global learning experiences.

The Office of Global Safety and Security (OGSS) supports the health, safety and security of Northwestern community members traveling abroad under University sponsorship./p>

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS), formerly the International Office, serves the needs of Northwestern's international students, visitors, employees, and their families.

Yes - most of them:

• Feinberg School of Medicine's Institute for Global Health promotes health equity issues on Northwestern University campuses and builds upon the knowledge base in the field of global health through translational research and interdisciplinary education initiatives in both the U.S. and globally.
• McCormick School of Engineering's Global Initiatives allow students, faculty, and alumni to explore, experience, and engage with global scholarly activities anchored by McCormick programs and initiatives.
• The Kellogg School of Management offers a variety of global opportunities: An executive MBA network that spans seven Kellogg campuses, 37 exchange programs in 20 countries, the Global Initiatives in Management (GIM) program that brings Kellogg students abroad, and a focus on global experiential learning.
• The Pritzker School of Law's International Program Office offers opportunities for law students to engage in exchange programs with seven renowned universities around the world, international dual degree options in Spain and France, and Executive LLM programs for working legal and business professionals in Europe, Korea, and the Middle East.
• Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications' Medill Global offers international experiential learning opportunities to broaden student perspectives and prepare students for global media careers. Opportunities include global journalism residencies in Argentina, Qatar, and South Africa, and course-related trips to travel and report abroad.
• At Northwestern's third campus, Northwestern University in Qatar, students can explore the world through the schools of communication, journalism, and liberal arts.

The Office of the Vice President for International Relations is responsible for developing and supporting Northwestern University's partnerships with institutions all over the world. These partnerships lead to student exchanges, customized study abroad programs, dual and joint degree programs, faculty exchanges and research collaborations. Please contact Jennifer Gerrard, Director of International Agreements and Visitors, if you seek to develop a partnership between Northwestern University and your institution.

Northwestern's Global Learning Office offers Northwestern-designed study abroad programs for undergraduate students, including faculty-led programs.

Northwestern has strong partnerships with a number of prestigious universities throughout the world. For a comprehensive list of Northwestern's existing partnerships, visit the partnership map and database page.

The Office of the Vice President for International Relations regularly welcomes international visitors to Northwestern. Contact Janka Pieper, the Director of Communications, for assistance in organizing a visit to Northwestern and information on the protocol for hosting a foreign delegation visit.

Northwestern's Office of International Student and Scholar Services provides information to assist in determining visa needs for international short-term visitors and their host departments.

The Office of the Vice President for International Relations offers international exchange opportunities for Northwestern staff and administrators to develop their professional skills. The Fulbright International Education Administrators Seminars program provides another opportunity for university administrators to expand their professional skills and connections at institutions in countries such as Germany, France, India and Taiwan.

As a member of the Big Ten, Northwestern staff can participate in the Big Ten Academic Alliance's International Visiting Professionals Program, a program that allows staff the opportunity to shadow international education colleagues at another Big Ten university. If you are interested, contact Kim Rapp, Assistant Vice President for International Relations, for more information.

Students, Faculty and Staff:
Northwestern's Office of Global Safety and Security regularly reviews global safety and security information and lists emergency messages to provide updates for Northwestern staff, students and faculty planning to travel abroad. The U.S. Department of State also maintains a list of travel alerts and warnings for travelers to review before going abroad.

Students:
Before departure, Northwestern undergraduate students are required to register their trip on the U.S. Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program website. Undergraduate students are also required to register their trip in Northwestern's International Travel Registry.

Faculty and Staff:
Northwestern does not regulate the international travel of its faculty or staff. Please visit the faculty and staff travel policies section on the Office of Global Safety and Security's website for more information.

Students: Students who plan to study abroad should ask their Northwestern program advisor about visa requirements for their respective country.

Faculty and Staff: Northwestern faculty and staff who plan to go abroad, should visit the U.S. Department of State's country information listing for information about visa requirements for their destination of travel.

Northwestern recognizes the importance of establishing, in advance, policies and procedures to guide the university's response to crises affecting international travelers. Northwestern's Office of Global Safety and Security (OGSS) provides a plethora of information regarding health and safety while abroad. Please refer to their site for more in-depth information on topics related to:

1. Health insurance while abroad
2. Traveling abroad with medication
3. Travel advisories
4. Travel security
5. Medical emergencies
6. Chronic health conditions and dietary requirements
7. Required immunizations

Northwestern IT provides valuable tips and tricks to optimizing your devices while abroad and keeping your information secure.