Universitas 21 has given the U21 Award 2022 to the GSL Classroom program, which offers students options for internationalization without leaving home.
Global Shared Learning Classroom (GSL Classroom), the initiative from Tec de Monterrey that promotes international experiences in a remote format, has been recognized by Universitas 21.
“Receiving the U21 Award 2022 proves to us that foreign universities find the GSL Classroom initiative highly innovative and that the positive impact it is having on students from the Tec and partner universities is being recognized,” said José Manuel Páez, Vice-Rector for International Affairs.
The international organization recognized the Tec and the team of people responsible for developing this program, in which students from the Tec and international universities take part. It won the award for its high level of scalability.
“It’s part of the Tec’s DNA for us to work as a team. Our achievements happen because we know how to combine our talents,” shared Patricia Montaño, International Innovation and Networks Director.
Universitas 21 is a network of 28 international universities that, according to its website, “share a common belief in the value of collaboration and internationalization.”
Some of the educational institutions that form part of Universitas 21 are universities such as UC Davis, The University of Melbourne, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and Tec de Monterrey.
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U21 Awards recognize scalability of GSL Classroom
According to the official website for the awards, the U21 Awards are designed to recognize, celebrate, and publicize the achievements of individuals or teams whose work has furthered the network’s principles of internationalization.
Patricia Montaño explained that GSL Classroom has been recognized due to the scalability offered by the initiative, which provides students with international experience programs without having to travel and has to date impacted 9,000 students from Tec de Monterrey and partner universities.
The GSL Classroom initiative has also created a community of 300 professors from 30 countries who participate in the program. These professors don’t just teach classes, but also promote joint research and publication.
The team from the Vice Rectory for International Affairs at the Tec who received the award consists of:
- Gisselle Morales - Director of Global Shared Learning
- Gloria Alicia Chapa - International Programs Specialist
- Rosa Gabriela Méndez - International Programs Specialist
- Ricardo Lyle - International Programs Specialist
- Marlene del Toro - Online Internationalization Specialist
- Karen Margarita Álvarez - Online Internationalization Specialist
- Arturo de León - Online Internationalization Specialist
- Gabriela María Salazar - Online Internationalization Specialist
- Laura Monserrat Balandrano Uresti - Online Internationalization Specialist
The International Innovation and Networks Director from the Tec shared that the nomination process primarily consists of being a member of the organization. This award came about from a nomination.
“We nominated ourselves because we recognize the work we’re doing. Also, because partner universities such as UC Davis suggested we put ourselves forward,” said Montaño.
She said that the Tec’s international partner institutions are surprised by its capacity to apply GSL Classroom programs and duplicate them, as well as how so many students have come in such a short time.
“We nominated ourselves because we recognize the work we’re doing. Also, because UC Davis suggested we put ourselves forward.”
She recalled that the Tec was looking for alternatives before the COVID-19 pandemic to offer options for internationalization to students who couldn’t travel for financial or personal reasons. Montaño said that the pandemic had made this accelerate and grow.
“This goes beyond international volumes. I believe that this achievement is a very important reminder that working on good ideas requires knowledge of how to communicate them and teamwork,” stressed Montaño.
The GSL Classroom vision
The initiative was born in 2018 under the name Global Classroom, spearheaded by the Vice Rector’s Office for International Affairs at the Tec.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its importance increased in 2020 as a project capable of offering international academic experiences to the Tec’s undergraduate students.
The pillars of GSL Classroom can be found in the use of technology to bring the Tec’s international partners into the classroom and offer international experiences to students from the Tec and partner universities.
Its 2022 version has received 198 proposals from professors to offer projects within GSL Classroom, as well as suggestions for subjects from the Schools of Business (EN) and Humanities and Education (EHE).
GSL Classroom offers a broad range of options, including full semesters in which students take a course with foreign professors and students, weeks of videoconferences, or multicultural seminars. Some research professors even get students involved in their research projects.
“The Tec has to work every day to achieve suitable international representation and keep it relevant and current” concluded Patricia Montaño.
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