Welcoming the World to GSE

International students, faculty, and visiting scholars are an integral part of life at GSE. Represented in all divisions, international students make up thirteen percent of GSE’s students, coming from fifteen different countries. The faculty too are diverse, coming from four continents and bringing with them a wide array of world views and experiences.

In addition, GSE hosts international scholars and faculty for short- and long-term research and teaching. Professor Bob Boruch has hosted post-doctoral scholars from Palestine, Nigeria, Malaysia, and elsewhere.

GSE’s Educational Linguistics program has a longstanding visiting scholars program, which brings three or four international scholars to GSE to work on their research, sit in on classes, offer brownbag talks, and contribute to the intellectual life of the School. Scholars hail from all corners of the world, including Brazil, China, Korea, and Belgium.

Recently, Educational Linguistics hosted Professor Martin Njoroge of Kenyatta University (Kenya) for two years. Professor Njoroge (whose second year here was sponsored by IIE’s Scholar Rescue program) was engaged in developing a proposal to establish a Language for Life Center in Nairobi, based on his research with street children there. Since returning to Nairobi, he has been planning an international conference on multilingualism, to be hosted by Kenyatta’s English and Linguistics Department. GSE and Penn's African Studies Center will provide cooperation and support, and Penn faculty and graduate students will also participate.

Dr. Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher, a recent graduate of Columbia University’s Teachers College, joins us for 2009-2010 as Post-doctoral Fellow, teaching in the IED and ECS programs., including a new course on Education, Development, and Globalization.