Global Affairs restructured its Office of Education Abroad to the Office of Experiential Global Learning, which will focus on building intercultural competence for global citizenship through programs designed with strong hands-on and experience-based learning components. It is aligned with the goals of the University’s Life Transformative Education initiative.

The blueprint of life transformative education engenders in students three things: identity, agency, and purpose. To develop a sense of identity, students must be helped to discover who they are and their place in the world—for many, this is the original concept behind liberal arts education. But more than that, they must develop a sense of agency—an awareness of what they can do with what they learn and a sense of empowerment that comes from having successfully applied their knowledge to authentic problems in the world. Finally, they must develop a sense of purpose—the societal consciousness and intrinsic motivation to use what they learn for the greater good.

Defining Experiential Global Learning

Education Abroad opportunities at the University of Connecticut are experiential global learning programs, which are integral components of life-transformative undergraduate and graduate curricula. Designed by faculty, practitioners, and community leaders, these programs provide students with collaborative opportunities to learn and practice knowledge and critical understanding, skills, values, and attitudes on intercultural competencies in a global context, whether they are delivered virtually, locally or internationally.

It is our desire that you join us as we embark on this important journey. Please contact us to discuss our various offerings.