b'As We Move Forward Reflections from International Council MembersThe Covid-19 pandemic disruptedAs I watch the English Language Institute international travel and therefore the(ELI) move forward after a year that possibility to participate in internationalchallenged us in ways that could not events and learning opportunitiesbe imagined, I am grateful we have forcing us to move most of ourbeen somewhat sheltered from the interactions online.storm much of the planet still faces. Contrary to my expectations, theToday, looking back at our 30 years of number of international collaborationscollaboration with the UF International developed and nurtured by theCenter, it is clearer than ever that at One Health Center over the past yearthe heart of international education are ILARIA CAPUA increased both in absolute numbers andMEGAN FORBES people: people who will work tirelessly Director, One Health in the types of disciplines involved. Director, English to make connections across cultures, Center of Excellence I believe that since everybodyLanguage Institute to help each other grow and thrive, and was online, everybody was suddenlyto dare hope to create a world better equidistant from everyone else, thus eliminating geographicalfor all. If UF has provided a place to work towards these goals, the and distance biases and removing cost barriers that might haveInternational Center has provided a community to draw the actors prevented participation in international networking events whiletogether. As I consider this, I realize that the UF International Center liberating time and resources to engage with colleagues from otherhas always made certain international students have a place to disciplines.land. They have a place where they are immediately welcomed into In fact, many of these new collaborations include younga family and find the resources and support they need to thrive.For researchers, who thrived in this more equal and leveled playingus, this is one of the most important roles the professionals at the field, and researchers looking for multidisciplinary collaborations.UF International Center fill.While I still think that in-person meetings are a fundamental part of the research effort, I hope that the dynamism, ease of access, flexibility and multidisciplinarity forced upon academia by the pandemic will grow and flourish.Who knows? One of the unexpected results of the pandemic might be a more integrated, open, and multidisciplinary international research community.The turmoil and tragedy caused byThough the pandemic was a major the Covid-19 pandemic is well known,disruption in many ways, there were and to one degree or another, hasstill positives that emerged from the been experienced by the entireadversity, namely faculty, students, and UF community. For the Center foradministratorsbeing more receptive European Studies (CES), in addition toto the possibilities of technology the generalized shift to online classesand e-learning. Virtual exchange is it also meant the frantic cancelationan innovative teaching and learning of events, visits and activities, forcingapproach by digitally connecting our us to rethink our core activities. As initialstudents with classrooms around the AMIE KREPPEL thoughts of short delays adjusted toMARY RISNERworld. The Center has benefitted by Director, Center for the emerging reality of the pandemic itAssociate Director strengthening its relationship with European Studies became clear that a full reconsiderationOutreach and BusinessUFIC, partnering on the UF Global of our traditional ways of doing thingsPrograms, Center forClassrooms initiative since its inception had to be revisited, reconsidered and fundamentally revised.Latin American Studies to internationalize the curriculum and Though this process was difficult, frustrating and required theprovide our students with engaging restructuring of many of our primary activities, it also openedand authentic learning experiences. Working with the Office of up new opportunities and has helped us to reach new audiences,Global Learning, VE modules have been integrated into courses domestically and especially internationally. The transition to onlineacross disciplines in collaboration with multiple universities in events allowed us to host a broader array of speakers and welcomeMexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guatemala, Brazil, and Costa audiences from across the globe. The shift to the creation ofRica. Participation in VE trainings and module implementations videos and podcasts accessible online, in the absence of in-personhave enhanced existing LAS courses and motivated other faculty training events, expanded our audience and permitted the Centermembers with minimal global experience to engage with Latin to provide resources to anyone, anywhere. Though we are eagerAmerica and other world regions to connect students with peers to once again host international guests and run our study abroadaround the globe. We hope to inspire more faculty to discover Latin programs (among other things), we are also looking forward toAmerica with a VE partner to implement this teaching and learning integrating some of the lessons learned into our future plans as weapproach, and further encourage them to go beyond these virtual continue our mission to bring Europe to UF and UF to Europe. classroom exchanges to develop in-person study abroad programs with partner faculty and institutions. 18 |GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT REPORT 2021|Celebrating 30 Years!'