Berkeley International Group (BIG) Meetings

The Berkeley International Group (BIG) is composed of UC Berkeley faculty and staff who meet monthly to collaborate and participate in informal discussions related to the international work that we all do on campus. Each meeting is hosted by different units on campus. The group meets for one hour during the first week of every month, with the host deciding upon the topic, date, time, and location of the meeting.

February 2020 BIG Meeting & IEAS Lecture Series: Contextualizing Coronavirus: Scientific, Political, Societal and Economic Impacts of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) appeared in Wuhan, China in early December 2019 and has quickly spread across the globe, leading to the closure of borders, the lockdown of Chinese cities, fears about under-reaction (and over-reaction), and economic effects still to be seen.

A panel of experts will convene at UC Berkeley to discuss the scientific, political, societal and economic...

December 2019 BIG Meeting & CSHE Lecture Series: “Foreign influence” rhetoric and internationalization at UC Berkeley

Over the last year, there has been an increasing discussion led by U.S. Federal agencies and Congress about the nature of U.S. universities and their engagement with international institutions and governments. This oversight and inquiry is expected to continue and increase, with new and revised disclosure and compliance requirements a likely outcome.

Berkeley has long been at the forefront of international engagement, with a myriad of activities administered by numerous offices. In this growing era of more scrutiny of international activities, we must continue to take the lead in...

December 2019 Berkeley International Group meeting: End of year social!

UC Berkeley staff and faculty are invited to attend a belated International Education Week celebration with the Berkeley International Group (BIG) on Wednesday, December 4 from 4-6pm. Join UC Berkeley colleagues with a passion for (or interest in) international education, and celebrate the end of the semester!

Light appetizers will be available; drinks are on your own.

The Berkeley International Group (BIG) is a recognized Staff Organization Community of Practice, offering...

November 2019 Berkeley International Group Meeting: International Students and Scholars: Current Enrollment and Regulatory Trends

UC Berkeley faculty and staff are invited to join the Berkeley International Group to learn more about international students and scholars at UC Berkeley, and current enrollment and regulatory trends.

In this presentation, the Berkeley International Office (BIO) will provide an update on the current trends in international student and scholar enrollment and address how this is being impacted by on-going changes in the regulatory...

May 2019 Berkeley International Group Meeting: First-year pathway & pre-college programs

UC Berkeley faculty and staff are invited to attend the next Berkeley International Group meeting to learn more about two of Berkeley's Summer Sessions & Study Abroad programs including the Global Edge London program for newly admitted undergraduate freshmen and the Pre-College Scholars Summer Program for domestic and international high school students.

Jessica Bauer, Assistant Director of...

April 2019 BIG Meeting - Campus-wide updates from the Global Engagement Office

UC Berkeley faculty and staff are invited to attend the next Berkeley International Group meeting to learn more about campus-wide international updates from the Global Engagement Office, including new partnership development resources, clarification on campus-wide procedures for international MOUs, a new campus-wide international partnership database (in collaboration with other UCs), and more.

Global Engagement Office mission:

We believe that...

March 2019 BIG Meeting - Dual degree programs with Berkeley Study Abroad

UC Berkeley faculty and staff are invited to attend the next Berkeley International Group meeting to learn more about Berkeley's first undergraduate dual degree program with Sciences Po

Amber Dillon, International Academic Specialist, will discuss what it took to make the partnership successful and challenges faced, as well as the benefits of the program to the UC Berkeley campus as a whole and the...

May 2018 BIG Meeting - Where do foreign students work and reside after they graduate? with Pew Research Center and Berkeley International Office

Dr. Ruiz presented his research on the question of "where do foreign students work and reside after they graduate?"

October 2018 BIG Meeting - Disrupting the Diploma: The Global Rise of Short Courses with UC Extension

Anna Esaki-Smith presented "Disrupting the Diploma: The Global Rise of Short Courses," examining a growing industry-wide trend to unbundle higher education degrees and provide more flexible and modular study paths for students.

November 2018 BIG Meeting - The future of African Students at UC Berkeley with International House, Center for African Studies & Berkeley International Office

"The future of African Students at UC Berkeley," a roundtable discussion.