Office of Global Engagement | Teachers College, Columbia University

Recent Happenings

Inaugural International Study Abroad Film Festival

March 2025 - In celebration of Teachers College's new study abroad initiative, the Office of Global Engagement hosted the inaugural International Study Abroad Film Festival. Centered on the theme Learning to Heal: Education's Role in Conflict and Reconciliation, the festival showcased student-produced short films from the recent Costa Rica study abroad program held in January 2025. Award recipients were selected through a combination of audience votes and evaluations by a panel of esteemed judges, including Teachers College staff and external partners. By the end of the evening, the Office of Global Engagement had raised more than $15,000 to support future study abroad scholarships. Stay tuned for the next edition of the festival in spring 2026!

OGE Promotes English as a Medium of Instruction with Fulbright Taiwan

February 2025 - OGE hosted a two-week professional development program for 15 Taiwanese university professors in collaboration with the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan). The program focused on English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and Bilingual Education, offering workshops on topics such as designing bilingual curriculum materials, assessment in EMI contexts, and technology integration in bilingual education.

Beyond academic sessions, participants engaged in cultural and professional visits, including a trip to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), a guided tour of the United Nations, and a visit to the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office.

The program fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together 15 TC faculty members from International & Comparative Education, Bilingual & Bicultural Education, Curriculum and Teaching, Higher and Postsecondary Education, Applied Linguistics, TESOL, and Adult Learning & Leadership.

Director of Global Engagement Visits Columbia Global Center in Beijing

December 2024 - Amine Mechaal, Director of Global Engagement, traveled to China for a week to visit partner universities in Beijing and Shanghai. During his trip, he hosted an information session on admissions to Teachers College at the Columbia Global Center in Beijing. The event welcomed over 1,100 attendees both in person and online. Dr. Portia Williams, Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Global Affairs, gave the welcome remarks, and Dr. Henan Cheng, TC's Executive Director for the Center on Chinese Education, spoke about the TC-China legacy and highlighted notable Chinese alumni associated with the College.

Critical Media Literacy Module Launch

October 2024 - The Office of Global Engagement supported Dr. Sarah Creider and the Heidelberg School of Education to host an event to introduce a new online critical media literacy module aimed at helping educators integrate and teach about critical media literacy skills in today's classrooms. The event provided community members with the opportunity to get a first hand look at some of the new modules created by both Teachers College and the Heidelberg School of Education as well as speak with other educators and students about addressing critical media literacy skills ahead of the 2024 election. Moreover, participants learned about TC's exciting transnational collaboration with the Heidelberg School of Education and were invited to contribute to the collaborative efforts on this pertinent topic.

Costa Rica Study Abroad Program

September 2024 - The Office of Global Engagement held an information session to introduce TC's first formal short-term study abroad program to the student body. Over 70 students joined both online and in person to learn more about the exciting new offering. The pilot program, conducted in partnership with the University for Peace and led by Dr. Garnett Russell, will take 15 students to San Jose, Costa Rica in January 2025 to study education, conflict, and peacebuilding on a global scale.

TC Faculty Meet with European University for Well-Being

May 2024 - The Office of Global Engagement brought together TC faculty and representatives from the European University for Well-Being to discuss upcoming funding opportunities, as well as exciting upcoming events—stay tuned for more information.

Faculty interested in research and collaboration opportunities within the EUniWell consortium should contact the Office of Global Engagement or the Office of the Vice Dean of Research.

Announcements

The 2026–2027 Fulbright U.S. Student Program is now open! The deadline for submission is October 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

The Teachers College Fulbright team is here to support you throughout the application process and answer any questions along the way. Eligible students may apply to the program directly through TC. Internal applicants receive one-on-one advising sessions with both the TC Fulbright team and a Fulbright alumni advisor, and may be considered for institutional endorsement upon completion of the Faculty Review Committee interview.

To learn more about the Fulbright Program and how to apply as an internal candidate, please contact fulbrightprogram@tc.columbia.edu.

Funding Deadlines

Each month, the Office of Global Engagement shares international funding opportunities straight to your inbox through the OGE Student Grants Newsletter.

In case you missed it, you can check out last month's funding opportunities here. Keep an eye out for future newsletters in your inbox toward the end of each month. As always, please reach out to globalengagement@tc.columbia.edu with questions about any of the opportunities featured.