WELCOME TO THE
HAENICKE INSTITUTE

 Our Mission Statement

The Diether H. Haenicke Institute for Global Education, established by the Board of Trustees in 1998, promotes and supports efforts towards globalization and internationalization of the academic environment of Western Michigan University. The Institute works closely with the International Education Council of the WMU Faculty Senate, as well as with international education committees and projects within and across colleges. Specific activities and responsibilities include:

• International Partnerships : The Institute administers more than one hundred official partnerships between WMU and educational institutions around the world, and assists university faculty and staff in maintaining and developing partnerships for research, faculty and student exchange, and other types of collaboration.

• Academic Programs : In collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute houses an undergraduate major program in global and international studies, and several minor programs in international and area studies. It also offers occasional interdisciplinary courses in support of these programs. The Institute collaborates with colleges, departments, and interdisciplinary programs to strengthen global and international academic offerings through conferences, seminars, and by hosting several research centers .

• Faculty Development: The International Faculty Hiring Initiative utilizes designated salary funds to enhance global and international expertise in departments through faculty hiring. The International Faculty Education and Development Fund , as well as other resources, assists in faculty research presentation and curriculum development focused on international education. The Institute website hosts numerous research databases and directories .

• International Students : The Institute provides a full range of international student recruiting, admission, counseling, and immigration services, as well as cultural, social and recreational activities.

• Study Abroad : More than sixty programs are available for students from WMU and other institutions to participate in foreign study, ranging from a few weeks to a full academic year in length.

• Immigration and Travel : The Institute provides immigration and visa services for international faculty scholars and visitors, new faculty and staff, and international students, and recommends international travel policy and procedures for WMU faculty and students.

• As a partner in the WMU Council for Institutional Diversity and Multiculturalism , the Institute works to enhance the efforts of the council as an integral part of its own efforts to achieve a truly global university.

• Community Outreach: The Institute is intended to become a resource and information center on globalization and internationalization for schools, public agencies, and citizen groups, a partner with public and private sector organizations with global involvement seeking collaboration with the university, and a focus for interinstitutional partnerships in global and international academic initiatives.