Program Areas

Educational Research & Exchange

Our faculty, students, and staff work together with international institutions and governments to conduct comparative education research on a variety of topics. Research areas include higher education; language and literacy; education and economic growth; educational evaluation; vocational education; and teacher quality supply and retention.

GSE International has coordinated discussions between the United States and Thailand, involving many levels of dialogue between national-level policymakers, university presidents, and deans, and representatives from national research centers on the topic of higher education administration. GSE International has also organized an opportunity for a delegation of doctors and administrators from China's national hospital system to come to Philadelphia to explore, research, and exchange best practices with the network of healthcare providers connected to the University of Pennsylvania.

By facilitating interaction and research efforts between our country and others, GSE International aims to promote understanding and enhance the information available to each country's leaders and citizens.

Professional Development & Executive Education

GSE International offers professional development opportunities for leaders in a variety of fields. We design and deliver customized programs to fit a multitude of business structures and demands. Past programs have focused on improving governance and fostering exchange between international business executives.

For instance, GSE International, in cooperation with The Wharton School, designed an executive development training program whose curriculum aligned with the program goals of the Securities Association of China. By providing learning opportunities for senior executives from top Chinese securities companies, this program gave the participants opportunities to speak directly with leading industry representatives and faculty researchers. Through such interactions, our program participants achieve a more sophisticated grasp of complex global connections.

Educational Development & Direct Immersion

As the international representative of a graduate education school, GSE International hopes to become a location for foreign education administrators, faculty, and students to pursue additional educational growth. Through cooperative degree programs and intensive educational enrichment courses, participants can benefit from the resources of the University of Pennsylvania and other world-class universities while adding to their understanding of international education. What better way to experience educational growth than through direct international immersion?

In the past, GSE International has coordinated with Peking University and East China Normal University to provide their graduate-level students the chance to begin their path to a Doctorate of Education while at the University of Pennsylvania. At the conclusion of such programs, students are asked to present their project proposals and reflect on their experiences at Penn. Before these students return to their home countries to pursue the Ed.D, they benefit from hands-on interaction with the exceptional educators and students here at Penn.

Conferences, Roundtables, Seminars

GSE International coordinates a variety of conferences and seminars that foster scholarly and professional exchange. From roundtables on education policy development to teacher education and improvement, we have partnered with top universities, NGOs, ministries of education, and corporations to familiarize participants with the latest developments in the world of education.

GSE International arranged a delegation of professors, deans, administrators, and education ministers to meet at the Middle East Roundtable in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Over the course of three days, these individuals representing the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia discussed the strengths and weaknesses of their respective education systems. Such interaction between leaders allows for more productive and efficient policy development in the future.

Custom Technical Assistance

The custom technical assistance GSE International is able to provide can take several forms. Whether initating new programs or revamping existing ones, we begin by conducting a needs assement that can be very helpful to your main mission. We will work together with you to provide the most effective and practical ongoing solutions. We provide the necessary consultant and project management services to support organizations, businesses, and ministries. Using the knowledge and logistics management available at the University of Pennsylvania, GSE International can help develop and expand specialized and customized programs.