Overview
The Ohio State University has a rich and vibrant history of international engagement and recognizes that the success of our graduates is enhanced by our global reach. Through innovative approaches, Ohio State prepares its students and supports its faculty to be actively involved and contribute in knowledge-based collaborations around the world.
The Office of International Affairs provides leadership and international expertise to ensure a coordinated and dynamic strategy for university-wide global engagement. To further Ohio State’s international goals and to advance the university’s reputation worldwide, the Office of International Affairs facilitates international experiences for students and faculty, supports academic programs and research, coordinates international partnerships, administers grants and scholarships for global engagement and contributes to enriching the Ohio State experience for the university’s international student and scholar population.
The Office of International Affairs falls under the umbrella of the Office of Academic Affairs, which has responsibility for the administration and coordination of all academic areas of the university and plays a leadership role in almost all aspects of Ohio State including colleges, campuses, major committees and councils, and a variety of units providing central support to the university.
Mission
The Office of International Affairs champions innovative cross-cultural interactions through teaching, learning and outreach, collaborates with international constituencies, and advances new knowledge to integrate and elevate a globally engaged Ohio State.
Vision
The Office of International Affairs is a leader in advancing Ohio State’s global engagement at home and around the world.
Diversity
The Office of International Affairs, cognizant of our global reach as Buckeyes, is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accountability. We recognize our responsibility in modeling a supportive and accessible environment where all students, faculty and staff – no matter their backgrounds, identities or lived experiences – can collaborate, listen, learn and work for the good of us all.
We celebrate both the contributions and the diverse linguistic and cultural identities of our global communities. We commit to the continued promotion of diversity on our campus through our work, goals, advocacy and service. Diversity enriches our university, local community and connections around the world.
Through an ongoing dialogue with all those we work with, support and serve, we strive to actively and thoughtfully respond to the challenging and dynamic realities of our local, national and global environments. We will promote only a culture of inclusivity, compassion and mutual respect for all, and are dedicated to removing any barriers to our collective success. As Buckeyes, our diversity is our strength.
Shared Services
Business Operations (centralized within the Office of Academic Affairs) - provides expertise to all units within the Office of International Affairs to enhance resource stewardship.
- Oversees finance for all units under the Office of International Affairs umbrella.
- Responsible for budgeting, accounting, procurement to payment support, organizational design and development, payroll support and general operations.
Communications - manages all marketing and communications for units under the OIA umbrella.
- Leverages the university's brand; maintains consistency with graphic and editorial standards.
- Identifies compelling stories and shares them across print and digital platforms.
- Collaborates across the colleges and with University Marketing and Communications to promote international activities.
- Oversees and coordinates events, including two of Ohio State’s signature events, Thanksgiving Dinner and Taste of OSU.
- Manages social media accounts: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
- Manages and updates oia.osu.edu.
Human Resources - provides customer service related to payroll, hiring new employees, benefits and wellness.
- Shares guidance on university HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance and data integrity.
- Assists in the management of the onboarding process for new staff members.
International Advancement - leads the international engagement and fundraising program for Ohio State through cross-collaboration with colleges and units, the Wexner Medical Center, the Office of International Affairs and the Office of Advancement.
- Discovers and builds relationships with the university’s international constituency (alumni, friends, parents, partners) to increase the pipeline for philanthropic support.
- Develops and implements plans to engage, cultivate and solicit gifts from international prospects living within the United States and abroad.
Core Services
Global Education
Global Education partners with Ohio State academic units and third party providers to facilitate international experiences for students.
- Manages over 200 programs in more than 50 countries.
- Provides advising and outreach, comprehensive application management, pre-departure orientation, risk management, program coordination, new program development, scholarship administration and business and financial services.
- Works with college liaisons and faculty to support current and new education abroad and virtual programming, as well as identifies resources to facilitate access and affordability.
Grants and Scholarships
The Office of International Affairs funds grants and scholarships that are made available to faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students.
- Funding is provided for a wide range of international research and scholarship projects and education abroad.
- Serves as the administrator for the U.S. Department of Education's Fulbright-Hays grants and is the campus representative for the Fulbright Scholars program.
International Partnerships
Partners with Ohio State academic units to develop and manage a wide array of international collaborations, from general Memoranda of Understanding to more specific joint efforts, which are formalized as Memoranda of Agreement, Student Exchange Agreements, International Dual Degrees and International Collaborative Degree programs.
- Liaises with Ohio State Offices of Legal Affairs, Business and Finance, Research Compliance and Office of Distance Education and eLearning to process agreements and ensure compliance with university, state and federal laws and policies.
- Maintains university-wide databases of all pending and finalized international agreements.
International Students and Scholars
International students and scholars services facilitate the arrival, integration, engagement and success of international students, staff and exchange scholars at Ohio State, including managing immigration issues and regulatory compliance.
- Liaises with the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State and the Department of Labor.
- Develops programming for students to engage in cultural exchange both on and off campus.
- Works closely with academic departments to manage immigration cases for international scholars.
Global Innovations
Area Studies Centers
- Ohio State has three Title VI National Resource Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education: Center for Latin American Studies, Center for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies and the East Asian Studies Center.
- Funds support academic activities and outreach initiatives that include foreign language, area and international studies to ensure a steady supply of graduates with expertise in less commonly taught languages, world areas and transnational trends.
- Foreign Language Area Studies funding, coupled with matching funds in the form of tuition awards from the Graduate School, allows the centers to provide academic year- and summer-long fellowships to students undergoing training in less commonly taught languages and related area or international studies.
- Ohio State also supports educational activities developed by the Middle East Studies Center and Center for African Studies.
Global Gateways
- The Gateways serve as Ohio State’s liaison offices in Shanghai, China (opened in 2010), Mumbai, India (opened in 2012) and São Paulo, Brazil (opened in 2014) that give Ohio State a physical presence in key parts of the world and present a distinct set of opportunities for global engagement.
- Enables the university to build on existing partnerships and forge new collaborations; facilitates faculty engagement in research; assists with international student recruitment in-country; partners with global businesses to provide internship opportunities; and creates a network to engage with a growing international alumni base.
Global One Health initiative
- A coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to improve health, build capacity, and provide learning opportunities for students across the globe. Initiated in 2009, the Global One Health initiative (GOHi) partners with 13 colleges to address the spread of disease, promote health and emphasize the connection among humans, animals and the environment.
- GOHi actively works in cross-cutting issues including zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases (such as Rabies and COVID-19), antimicrobial resistance, cancer, maternal and child health, medicinal plants, food and waterborne diseases, curriculum twinning and innovative e-learning technology.
- Headquartered on Ohio State’s campus, GOHi also has an office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which is registered as an NGO.
