Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to announce the launch of the new Faculty Travel Award Program!

As part of the International Center’s mission to provide transformative learning opportunities, faculty-led study abroad programs are essential in enhancing students’ global competencies and cultural awareness. To support the development of such programs, the Office of International Education (OIE), in collaboration with the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College, the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, and the Provost’s Office, will offer Faculty Travel Awards. These awards are designed to facilitate exploration and planning efforts for new OIE-administered faculty-led study abroad programs.

Our goal is to develop innovative, sustainable programs that can be repeated annually, enhancing the current offerings by introducing new dimensions such as location, target student populations, academic disciplines, and unique student experiences.

OIE-administered programs take place during Maymester, Wintermester, and the summer. For more information about our program types, visit the Faculty-Led Program Proposals page. You also can explore the current and upcoming OIE-administered Faculty-Led Study Abroad programs.

The primary objectives of this travel award program include:

Site Assessment: Visiting and evaluating potential partner institutions to assess on-site support, accommodations, and cultural immersion opportunities while ensuring alignment with academic goals and student safety standards.
Partnership Development: Establishing collaborations with local universities, NGOs, or other organizations to create robust and sustainable programs.
Curriculum Design: Creating a curriculum tailored to the location’s unique cultural and academic offerings, incorporating experiential learning components.
Risk Management: Identifying and addressing logistical and safety considerations to ensure the program’s long-term success and sustainability.

Each award will provide up to $5,000 to cover travel expenses.

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria (pdf) for participating in faculty-led education abroad programs at UTD. They must subsequently apply for a 2027 Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program (which will open in September 2025).

The application form for the travel award is available on the Comets Abroad Portal. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, April 1.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sara Spiegler.

Best regards,

Juan E. González, Ph.D.

Francis S. Johnson Chair for Graduate Education

Vice Provost for Global Engagement

Dean of Graduate Education