About the Office
Director's Message
Welcome to the University of Central Florida’s Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Global Perspectives (Global Perspectives Office). Established in October 2001 by President John C. Hitt, the office is designed to help develop UCF’s international resources, capabilities and connections.
In pursuit of its mission to sharpen UCF’s international focus, the office uses an interdisciplinary approach, directing its curricular, co-curricular, research, publishing and partnership-building efforts particularly, but not exclusively, to the following subject-areas:
- Asia (with an emphasis on China, India and Japan)
- Diplomacy
- Environment and Global Climate Change (with an emphasis on national/global security).
- Globalization
- Human Rights (with an emphasis on human trafficking)
- Middle East (with an emphasis on conflict and conflict-resolution)
- Peace Studies
- Terrorism Studies
Each year, in cooperation with its on-campus and off-campus partners, the office also embraces a primary, university-wide and community theme, along with one or more secondary themes. For 2009-2010, the primary spotlight will be on “The Environment, Energy and National/Global Security.” Past primary themes have included “Emerging Powers: China and India,” “The Future of Europe,” “Political Violence in the 21st Century,” “Human Rights,” “Terrorism,” “The Clash of Cultures” and “The Age of India.” Two ongoing secondary themes address the Middle East, and the environment and global climate change.
The office further endeavors to sharpen UCF's international focus in the following ways:
- Serving as an idea factory to consider new international possibilities for the institution.
- Sponsoring or co-sponsoring distinguished speakers, conferences and other forums on critical international subjects.
- Building partnerships and communicating at all levels, from within the university to the international stage, to expand global awareness.
- Launching and co-sponsoring initiatives, such as the Diplomacy Program, The India Program and the China-Taiwan Cross-Strait Program.
- Serving as an information resource, especially through www.ucfglobalperspectives.org, the office's website.
- Publishing the Worldviews for the 21st Century monograph series, white papers and other publications.
- Conducting research on timely global topics.
- Advising the UCF president and serving as his representative in international settings.
In pursuing these goals, the office encourages and benefits from the input of others, both from within the university and the external community. Please visit us at Phillips Hall 202, telephone us at 407-823-0688 or contact us via e-mail at global@mail.ucf.edu.
John C. Bersia
Special Assistant to the President for Global Perspectives and Director
