Athens, Ga. (Dec 5, 2005) – A new online database offers access to international expertise available at the University of Georgia.

The International Expertise Database will help connect external audiences, including the media and international development organizations, with UGA’s international experts.

The database also aims to facilitate UGA faculty and staff involvement in international outreach programs and projects, and will serve as a clearinghouse for information about international experience and interests among UGA’s faculty and staff.

“UGA has a role to play as Georgia government agencies and the private sector seek to make international connections,” said Art Dunning, UGA’s vice president for public service and outreach. “UGA faculty and staff have a wealth of international experience, expertise and interests that they can bring to the table to help Georgia deepen ties with other nations.”

Last Spring, Craig Lesser at the Georgia Department of Economic Development asked Dunning to identify UGA experts with specific international expertise in China to assist the department as it seeks to expand Georgia’s presence abroad. That sparked the idea for creating the International Expertise Database, recently launched by Dunning’s office and coordinated by International Public Service and Outreach.

“[The] feedback from faculty and staff [during a focus group session last August] was that they wanted a way to network with their on-campus colleagues who have similar international interests and experiences in developing international outreach initiatives, including global service-learning programs, international training projects and faculty
exchange programs,” said Jennifer Frum, assistant director of international public service
and outreach. They also wanted to connect with organizations outside the university, she said.

“[The database] provides a means of rapidly discovering expertise on a given subject in a given area. [Many] on campus have had international experiences in any number of countries and may be in a position to make a needed contribution to a new initiative,” said Nick Dale, a UGA poultry science professor. However, many on campus, from seasoned administrators to new assistant professors, might not be aware that we have an expert on campus, he said.

Postcards announcing the International Expertise Database have arrived in the mailboxes of UGA faculty and staff. Faculty and staff can add their international experience to the database at any time, but are encouraged to do so early before more interactive features, including a clickable world map, are developed. Plans are underway to market the database to external constituencies early next year.

Interested faculty and staff can include their international expertise in the database by completing a short online survey at http://www.globalexperts.uga.edu.

The Office of International Public Service and Outreach is a unit of the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia.

This article was posted on Monday, December 5th, 2005 at 11:28 am and is filed under News.