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 4, 2021: Outlook for International Relations and Immigration under the Biden Administration

With the recent transition to the Biden Administration, many of us working in higher education have questions about what changes this will bring for our international programs, research, and constituents. Please join the Berkeley International Group for a briefing from the Director of Federal Relations for UC Berkeley, Gina Banks Daly, to learn about current and anticipated policy changes and executive orders related to immigration, international affairs, and higher education. Participants will also learn about Federal Relations’ advocacy role with congressional leaders and...

January 27, 2021: A Year in Review: International Student, Faculty, and Scholar Issues and the Future of US Immigration

2020 was a momentous year for UC Berkeley's international students, scholars and employees. In addition to facing travel restrictions related to COVID-19, they also were confronted by an array of other regulatory changes that challenged their status in the US. Join us to learn about these policies and to hear how Berkeley International Office is working to help our international community navigate them.

Nov 2020 BIG Meeting: UC Berkeley COVID-19 International Operations Briefing

With international travel grinding to a halt across the UC system in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted UC Berkeley’s international operations and programming. Please join the Berkeley International Group for a panel discussion with key international leaders across the campus, including representatives from the Global Engagement Office, Berkeley Study Abroad, Summer Sessions, and UC Berkeley Extension International Programs. Our colleagues will share their perspective on the opportunities and challenges the pandemic has presented to their work and programs, as well...

Fall 2020 BIG Event Series: Anti-Racism in International Education

How can international educators lead in crafting a vision for a post-racist world? How can they leverage the multiple tools that intercultural learning and cross-cultural communication provides to develop the next generation of anti-racist leaders? How can they work to normalise cross-cultural and intercultural diversity in the communities that they inhabit?

Sept. 2020 BIG Event: Courageous Conversations Workshop

Speaking up and speaking out about racism and white supremacy has become a priority for organizations and institutions across the globe, including here at UC Berkeley. However, when it comes to confronting the ways racism shows up in our everyday lives and relationships, it can be difficult to create environments where people can be truly courageous in their own growth and encourage the growth of others. In multinational/multicultural environments, this is further complexified, yet equally critical. In this session, we will focus on skills and practices for higher education professionals...

May 2020 Panel Discussion on COVID-19: The End or the Revival of International Higher Education?

Recent years have witnessed a rise in the level of nationalism in many countries with tightened immigration policies and stronger governmental oversight of multinational research collaborations. At the same time, competition among countries and universities for international students has increased significantly, while the demographics of young populations in many countries are shifting. Now, the onset of an historic global pandemic, with its serious travel challenges and dramatic economic effects, raises yet another threat to the future of internationalization on U.S. campuses.

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May 2020 BIG Meeting: Connecting Berkeley to Europe

About the Institute of European Studies

A federally funded Title VI National Resource Center and Jean Monnet Center of Excellence, the Institute of European Studies (IES) is the hub for interdisciplinary research and education on Europe and transatlantic relations on the UC Berkeley campus. IES staff will give an overview of the Institute’s public programming, outreach activities, international partnerships, and grants for students and faculty. We will also discuss current challenges and future...

April 2020 BIG Meeting: Your emotional well-being amid COVID-19

In light of the rapidly evolving situation amid COVID-19, we understand that our colleagues are likely under stress while handling work and personal life and finding a balance while working remotely. Therefore, instead of having a presentation on regular topics related to international activities happening on campus, BIG would like to support our Berkeley colleagues by holding a presentation given by the University Health Services (UHS) Employee Assistance unit, in the hope of providing some relief to our colleagues so that they may have some professional guidance on how to take care of...

March 2020 BIG Meeting: Graduate Division and International Student Experience

Come hear from the Graduate Division and the Graduate Assembly about their respective organizations and goals in service of international academic and professional graduate students at UC Berkeley. We'll also have current graduate students speak about their experiences and transitions to campus.

Please note this event is open to UC Berkeley faculty and staff only. Please RSVP

Panelists: Larissa Charnsangavej, Director of Graduate Student Life, Graduate Division Shivani Raina, Project Director - International and...

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...