Upcoming CII Events
2026 CII Summer Meeting
Sunday, August 2 – Tuesday, August 4, hosted by Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City, Mexico.
The Commission on International Initiatives (CII) will host their summer meeting at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City, Mexico. This convening will bring together Senior International Officers and individuals interested in international research, international agriculture, and economic development (open to members from CECE, COR, and BAA’s IAS).
What to expect at the 2026 CII Summer Meeting:
- Workshops around international research, partnership development, and economic development
- Opportunities to engage with Mexican universities and the higher education sector
- Opportunities for meetings with key Mexican government agencies
- Meetings with Mexican chambers of commerce and business leaders
See you in Mexico City in August.
Questions may be directed to APLU’s Jordan Merker (jmerker@aplu.org).
CII at the APLU Annual Meeting
Public universities today face unprecedented challenges as well as opportunities, making it more important than ever for leaders to come together to share strategies, advocate for higher education’s vital role, and chart a course for the future.
With more than 100 sessions planned, the Annual Meeting offers a robust and wide-ranging program designed to deliver practical insights, foster new collaborations, and inspire leadership across the public higher education sector.
Some of the expected topics to be addressed at the APLU Annual Meeting include:
- Reaffirming and demonstrating the public value of a college education;
- Advancing public impact research to meet state and national needs;
- Addressing enrollment shifts through innovative strategies;
- Aligning academic programs with future workforce needs;
- Navigating the rapidly changing state and federal policy landscape;
- Expanding global engagement amid evolving student visa policies;
- Strengthening cybersecurity to safeguard research and institutional operations; and
- Modernizing infrastructure to support long-term growth and sustainability.
Previous CII Events
The 2025 Commission on International Initiatives (CII) & Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) Joint Summer Meeting took place on Roosevelt Island in New York City, NY from June 29-July 1 2025.
Thank you to our 2025 CII Summer Meeting Sponsors
2025 CII Summer Meeting Program
CII & CECE Joint Summer Meeting Documents & Presentations
- Presidential Perspective: Importance of our Work in Challenging Times
- Waded Cruzado, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Marlene Tromp, University of Vermont
- Taylor Eighmy, The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Connecting Community and Elevating our Work
- Michael Rios, University of California, Davis
- Public Purpose Renewed: Future-Leading Engagement in Higher Education
- Sharon Paynter, East Carolina University
- Angela Lamson, East Carolina University
- The Intersection of Global and Economic Development: A Case Study
- Carlos Iván Moreno Arellano, Mexican Ministry of Publci Education
- Andrew Ranson, Oklahoma State University
- Government Affairs Update
- Craig Lindwarm, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Bernie Burrola, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Beyond the Headlines: Interpreting State Department Policy Shifts
- Barbara Stephenson, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Michael Pelletier, University of Houston
- Making the Connection: Aligning Community and Economic Engagement for Greater Public Impact
- Lina Dostilio, University of Pittsburgh
- Marlene Tromp, University of Vermont
- Translating Policy into Practice: Peer Insights for Navigating the Changing Global Environment
- Partnerships & Research – Eric Wirth, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
- Fulbright – Julie Taylor, Fulbright
- Immigration – Kiki Caruson, University of South Florida
- Enrollment Management – Sue Roberts, University of Kentucky
- Office Funding – Sonia Feigenbaum, The University of Texas at Austin, Gretchen Neisler, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Building Strategic Bridges
- Ahmad Ezzedine, Wayne State University
- Bronagh Friel, Grow with Google
- Jennifer Thornton, Business-Higher Education Forum
- Amanda Winters, National Governors Association
The 2024 Commission on International Initiatives (CII) Summer Meeting took place at the University of Texas at San Antonio in San Antonio, TX from June 16-18, 2024.
Thank you to our 2024 CII Summer Meeting Sponsors
2024 CII Summer Meeting Program
CII Summer Meeting Documents & Presentations
- Demystifying Research Security Regulations: A Conversation with NSF
- Sara Barber, National Science Foundation
- APLU Presidential Charge
- Mark Becker, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Presenting the CII Strategy
- Megan Francis, Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- Kathleen Fairfax
- David DiMaria
- Brian Haynes
- Engaging North America
- Taylor Eighmy, The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Guillermo Hernandez, Global Initiatives
- Janaka Ruwanpura, University of Calgary
- Opportunities to Engage with Mexico
- Gustavo Cruz Chavez, ANUIES (Mexico’s National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions)
- Lisa Montoya, The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Guillermo Hernandez Duque, Global Initiatives
- Reimagining African Engagement
- Bernie Burrola, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Assata Zerai, University of New Mexico
- Gretchen Neisler, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Samba Dieng, Louisiana State University
- Beyond China & India: Engaging Indonesia
- Bernie Burrola, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Randy Kluver, Oklahoma State University
The 2023 Commission on International Initiatives (CII) Summer Meeting was hosted jointly with APLU’s Council on Research (COR) at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia from June 25-27, 2023.
Thank you to our 2023 Summer Meeting Sponsors
2023 CII-COR Summer Meeting Program
2023 CII-COR Summer Meeting Speaker List
CII-COR Summer Meeting Documents & Presentations
- Aligning Strategic Goals with your Organization’s Budget
- Mark Becker, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- David Norton, University of Florida
- Irem Tumer, Oregon State University
- Gillian Wilson, University of California-Merced
- Economic Development
- Alice Aiken, Dalhousie University
- Betsy Cantwell, University of Arizona
- Kevin Gardner, University of Louisville
- Government Affairs Update
- Deborah Altenburg, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- MacGregor Obergfell, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Developing Strategic International Partnerships to Advance the Research Enterprise
- Julie Jordan, Mississippi State University
- Taylor Eighmy, The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Janaka Ruwanpura, University of Calgary
- Barbara Stephenson, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Impacts of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Academic Research
- Pramod Khargonekar, University of California Irvine
- Colleen Fitzgerald, North Dakota State University
- Kate Miller, University of Texas at Arlington
- Jim Reecy, Iowa State University
- Making Research More Impactful: Accelerating Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship for Economic Impact
- Kevin Gardner, University of Louisville
- Jeff Larsen, Delhausie University
- David Rosowsky, Kansas State University
- Irem Tumer, Oregon State University
- Joseph Whittaker, Jackson State University
- Gillian Wilson, University of California-Merced
- Walt Copan, Colorado School of Mines
- Engaging Indigenous Students and First Nations in Research
- Simon Atkinson, University of Kansas
- David Hanson, University of New Mexico
- Emmanuel Hernandez Aguilar, University of Guadalajara
- Dawn Wallin, University of Saskatchewan
- Sustaining the International Research Talent Pipeline
- Gretchen Neisler, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Karl Steiner, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Julie Taylor, IIE/Fulbright
- Bernie Burrola, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Advancing Responsible International Research and Collaboration
- Rob Rutenbar, University of Pittsburgh
- Rebecca L. Keiser, National Science Foundation
- Shawn McGuirk, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (Canada)
The 2022 Commission on International Initiatives (CII) Summer Meeting, was hosted by Montana State University in Bozeman, MT, from June 26-29, 2022.
The theme of the meeting was “Big Sky, Big Ideas.” CII members participated in a four-day exploration of the big ideas in the field of international education, including:
- internal and external advocacy
- global communities of engagement
- crisis management
- leadership
- bouncing back post-pandemic
The APLU Commission on International Initiatives (CII) focused its 2020-21 Academic Year activities on the topic of “Internationalization: Re-envisioned, Reimagined, Revitalized,” utilizing virtual huddles, executive committee meetings, and CII working groups to explore the impacts and challenges of global geopolitical trends and the pandemic on campus internationalization. The 2021 CII Summer Meeting drew upon our experiences, our innovations, and our future aspirations to culminate in a three-day virtual dialogue.
CII Summer Meeting Presentations
- Presidential Panel: Role of International Offices in a Post-pandemic University
- Heidi M. Anderson, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- Taylor Eighmy, University of Texas at San Antonio
- Héctor Raúl Solís Gadea, University of Guadalajara
- DEI/EDI: If Not Now, When? If Not Us, Who?
- Ashley Green, Michigan State University
- Andrew Gordon, Diversity Abroad
- Megan Francis, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- North American Mobility: A Plan for Action
- Jesús López Macedo, National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES)
- Robin Lerner, Texas International Education Consortium
- Pirita Mattola, University of Saskatchewan
- Sonia Feigenbaum, University of Texas at Austin
- Pathways to Global Learning for All
- Carlos Ivan Moreno, University of Guadalajara
- Nancy Erbstein, University of California Davis
- Dawn Whitehead, Association of American Colleges and Universities
- Sally Crimmins Villela, SUNY System
- Envisioning the Future of the Global University
- Erik Skogsberg, Voltage Control
The 2019 theme, “Strategic Thinking for our Future: How Public Universities develop collaborative structures that create sustainable global and local impact,” sought to advance the conversation about the sustainable global and local impact of public universities through the development of collaborative structures.
2019 CII Summer Meeting agenda
2019 CII Summer Meeting Speaker Bios
2019 CII Summer Meeting Documents & Presentations
- Advancing the Ideal of Internationalization
- Scott Thomas, University of Vermont
- Lorna Jean Edmonds, Ohio University
- Matthew Hartley, University of Pennsylvania
- SPARC-ing: How the University of Minnesota is Choosing to Address Grand Global Challenges
- Meredith McQuaid, University of Minnesota
- Amy Kircher, Universiyt of Minnesota
- Successful Structures for Advancing Internationalization
- David Di Maria, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Sabine Klahr, University of Utah
- Pia Wood, University of North Texas
- Randy Kluver, Oklahoma State University
- Creating System-wide Standards and Badges to Recognize Students’ Intercultural Skills
- Mary Lou Forward, SUNY COIL Center
- Helen Gaudette, Fashion Institute of Technology
- Carrie Wojenski, University of Alabany
- Sustainable Development Goals and Universities
- Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University
- Engaging Faculty in Creating Novel Programs with Impact
- Michael Benedik, Texas A&M University
- Joanna Regulska, University of California, Davis
- Roger Brindley, University of South Florida
- VPR/SIO Interface: Promoting a University’s International Research Interests
- DeAndra Beck, Michigan State University
- E. Daniel Hirleman Jr., Purdue University
- Jamie McGowan, Pennsylvania State University
- Meghna Ramaswamy, University of Saskatchewan
- Globally Embedded and Locally Practiced: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Role of Universities
- Gbemi Dis, George Mason University
- Duncan Ross, Times Higher Education
- Sally Crimmins Villela, The State University of New York (SUNY)
- Joanna Regulska, University of California, Davis
- Walter Poleman, University of Vermont
- International Advocacy Coordinating Committee (IACC) and Public Policy Town Hall
- Craig Lindwarm, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Deborah Altenburg, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Malone International Leadership Presentation – Brian Steffenson
- Harnessing Faculty Engagement: The Perspectives of Faculty in Developing Collaborative Structures
- Roger Brindley, University of South Florida
- Meredith McQuaid, University of Minnesota
- Ahmad Ezzeddine, Wayne State University
- Elizabeth Aranda, University of South Florida
- Elizabeth Borer, University of Minnesota
- Jonathan Stillo, Wayne State University
- University Extension Initiatives: A Global Case Study Approach
- I. Miley Gonzalez, Montana State University
- Rod McSherry, New Mexico State University
- Eleanor Inglis, Montana State University
- Larry Brence, Montana State University-Extension
- Bridging the Gap Between Cultures and Disciplines: Practicum Outreach Programs Abroad
- William Brustein, West Virginia University,
- Victor Mucino, West Virginia University
- Wondwossen Gebreyes, The Ohio State University
- Closing Plenary Pt. I: International Student Enrollment in the United States – A look at the data and what it tells us
- David Di Maria, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Dana Bukenova, INTO University Partnerships
- Joann Ng Hartman, International Enrollment Management and International Student/Scholar Services, NAFSA
- Pt. II: Working together to promote US higher education to international students
- Marianne Craven, U.S. Department of State
The 2018 CII Summer Meeting took place July 15-17 at the Riu Plaza Hotel and at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, hosted by the UdeG.
2018 CII Summer Meeting Theme: The Global Impact of North American Public Universities
Thank you to our 2018 CII Summer Meeting Sponsors
2018 CII Summer Meeting Program
2018 CII Summer Meeting Presenter Biographies
2018 CII Summer Meeting Documents & Presentations
- Global Trends in Higher Education: Why it Matters in the North American Region
- Francisco Marmolejo, The World Bank
- Managing Up- Perspectives from Presidents and Provosts
- Ángel Cabrera, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
- Waded Cruzado, Montana State University
- Public Policy Town Hall: Updates from the International Advocacy Coordinating Committee and INTO University Partnerships
- Hanan Saab, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and McCarthy
- Internationalizing Higher Education in Challenging Times: Implications for Public and Land-grant Universities
- Hans de Wit, Boston College
- Cultivating Global Learning at Large Research Institutions
- Joanna Regulska, University of California, Davis
- Erbstein, University of California, Davis
- Joanna Regulska, University of California, Davis
- Ruwanpura, University of Calgary
- North American Higher Education in Collaboration with Cuba: a Trilateral Perspective
- Sally Crimmins Villela, State University of New York
- Robert Balkin, State University of New York
- Cristian Gonzalez-Paez, University of Alberta
- Miguel Ángel Sigala Gómez, University of Guadalajara
- Effectively Using External Advisory Board to Support Internationalization
- Michael Benedik, Texas A&M University
- Reynaldo Spinelli, Texas A&M University
- Chad Wootton, Texas A&M University
- Best Practices and Overcoming Barriers to Sending Students to Mexico
- Erin Chadd, University of Arizona
- Ahmad Ezzeddine, Wayne State University
- Suzanne Panferov Reese, University of Arizona
- Carlos Alberto Jaramillo Mora, Instituto Politécnico Nacional
- Supporting Internationalization Efforts with Limited Funding
- Gbemisola A. Disu, George Mason University
- Joanna Regulska, University of California, Davis
- The Relationship between International Development Agencies and Higher Education Institutions in North America: How it Works and How it Could Work Better
- Mark Erbaugh, Ohio State University
- Clara Cohen, USAID
- Waded Cruzado, Montana State University
- David Gray, Dalhousie University
- Martha Navarro Albo, Mexican Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AMEXCID)
- Amrit Bart, University of Georgia
- Bricks and Mortar- Offices Abroad as Strategy for Fostering International Engagement
- Gayle Christensen, University of Washington
- Francisco Trigo, National Autonomous University of Mexico
- Cristian Gonzalez-Paez, University of Alberta
- Global Learning for All through Virtual Exchange- Forward, Mireles Torres, and Ezzedine
- Jalisco Consortium for Internationalization
- Hans de Wit, Boston College
- Andrés Barba Vargas, University of Atemajac Valley
- Noé Chirino Hernández, Autonomous University of Guadalajara (UAG)
- Carlos Iván Moreno, UdeG
- Leoncio Monjarás Wintergerst, Pan American University
The 2017 CII Summer Meeting took place July 16-18 at the Delta Lodge Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, co-hosted by the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary.
Thank you to our 2017 CII Summer Meeting Sponsors
2017 CII Summer Meeting Program
2017 CII Summer Meeting Presenter Biographies
CII Summer Meeting Documents & Presentations
- Minister Counselor Agricultural Office, Embassy of Mexico to Canada
- Iker Reyes Godelmann, Embassy of Mexico in Canada
- Canada-Mexico Energy Collaborations
- Rocky Mountain Grizzly Bears, In a Changing World
- Greg McDermid, University of Calgary
- Dinosaurs of Alberta: New Discoveries and Research
- Philip J. Currie, University of Alberta
- Assessing International University Parternships
- Assessing Partnerships – Victoria Jones, University of California Riverside
- International Partnership Assessment Rating Index (IPARI) – Janaka Ruwanpura, University of Calgary
- UNAM: Mexico’s Premier Teaching, Research, and Culture Dissemination Institution – Franciso José Trigo Tavera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Learning Abroad: more than good intentions required
- Lynn Mitchell, University of Guelph
- Doug Weir, University of Alberta
- Seeking US-Canada Leveraging for Agricultural Development in the Food-Water-Energy Nexus
- Federal Support for International Research and Capacity Building: Avenues for Engagement
- Linking Research Undergraduate Experiences with Global Initiatives
- Mike Proctor, University of Arizona (retired)
- Erin Chadd, University of Arizona
- Fostering International Leadership in Mexico through 4-H Youth Developmental Programs
- Claudia P. Diaz Carrasco, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Articulating the Value of International Research Collaborations
- Downing Thomas, University of Iowa
- Richard Nader & Mohammed Cherkaoui, Mississippi State University
- Wei Bao, University of Iowa
- Processes to Manage International Partnerships and Missions
- Janaka Ruwanpura & Glynn Hunter, University of Calgary
- Signala
- Contributions of Land-grant Universities in the Implementation of the Global Food Security Act
The 2016 CII Summer Meeting took place July 17-19 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, hosted by Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
2016 CII Summer Meeting Theme: North American Public Universities in the 21st Century: Global Responsibilities, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Developing Global South
2016 CII Summer Meeting Program
Doing More With Less Track
- Institutional Structure for Maximum Impact
- Brian Watkins, University of Georgia
- Chad Hoseth, Colorado State University
- Kiki Caruson, University of South Florida
- Amrit Bart, University of Georgia
Global Outreach Within and Beyond North America Track
- University of California Activities in Africa
- Mark Wilson, University of California
- International Collaborations with African Higher Education Institutions: Challenges and Opportunities
- Kelechi Kalu, University of California, Riverside
- A Public University’s Commitment to Produce Global Citizens of Capacity Building
- Kathryn Atchison, University of California, Los Angeles
- International Student Diversity: A National Imperative
- Rachel Banks, NAFSA: Association of International Educators
- Meredith McQuaid, University of Minnesota
- David Di Maria, Montana State University
- Partnerships in the 21st Century: Perspectives on Universities’ Evolving Strategies
- Britta Baron, University of Alberta
- A Partnership Strategy in Transition
- Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Partnerships in the 21st Century: Perspectives on Universities’ Evolving Strategies
- Janaka Ruwanpura, University of Calgary
- Partnerships in the 21st Century: Perspectives on Universities’ Evolving Strategies
- Meredith McQuaid, University of Minnesota
- The Power of Persistence: Delivery of Academic Programs at Overseas Locations
- Solon Simmons, George Mason University
- Academic Program Delivery at Overseas Locations: Protecting the Interests of Students and the Reputation of the Institution
- Sally Crimmins Villela, State University of New York
Lightning Talks
- Teach and Discover India: Inter- and Intra-institutional Collaborations to Develop Global and Interprofessional Perspectives
- Jiangyuan Zhou, Stockton University
- Priti Haria, Stockton University
- Institutional Intermediate Devices in the Articulation of Internationalization
- Jesús Ruiz-Flores, Universidad de Guadalajara
- Sergio Lorenzo Sandoval-Aragón, Universidad de Guadalajara
- Ignacio Medina-Núñez, Universidad de Guadalajara
- Internationalization with the Global South: Growth and Expansion at the University Level and Within Health Sciences Programs
- India Karavackas
- Engaging the South Through Curricular Initiatives
- Barbara Speziale
Measuring Progress Track
- Agricultural Development: The Extension Slice
- Andrea Bohn, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Measuring Progress of US University Engagement in International (Agricultural) Development: Scale & Impact
- Sandra Russo, University of Florida
- Barbara Schneeman
- Moving the Needle: Leveraging Innovation for Institutional Change in Study Abroad
- Rachel Banks, NAFSA: Association of International Educators
- Taking Stock: Intended and Unintended Impacts of 100,000 Strong in the Americas
- Lee Tablewski, 100,000 Strong in the Americas
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