Faculty

Comprehensive internationalization is a strategic, coordinated process that seeks to align and integrate policies, programs, and initiatives to position colleges and universities as more globally oriented and internationally connected.

- American Council on Education

Internationalization and global engagement are not possible without the participation of the faculty, as they are at the core of creating and disseminating knowledge. The Global Engagement Office is committed to help faculty achieve their internationalization goals by supporting:

  • Faculty participation in international conferences
  • Short and long term visits abroad
  • Development of curriculum and co-curriculum activities and content
  • Creation of partnerships and agreements with international institutions

Global engagement resources listed here are intended to support faculty, staff and students in better understanding and carrying out work involving international collaborations, entities or individuals.

Recruiting International Students

Many faculty are interested in bringing outstanding students from other countries to CU Boulder for research or study. The University is pleased to include highly qualified students in our graduate and undergraduate programs; indeed, we are striving to increase the number of international students on the campus.

Applications for admission to the University are available online via the Office of Admissions website:

Although international students are eligible to compete with domestic students for some forms of financial support (e.g., research assistantships, graduate part-time instructors positions, athletic scholarships), they may not receive any federally-funded financial aid. There are very few scholarships reserved for international students attending CU Boulder at this time and unfortunately, none for first-year international students.

Opportunities Abroad

CU Boulder Policy for Professional International Travel

Before planning your experience abroad, familiarize yourself with the International Travel and Programs Policy for CU Boulder that was approved by the Provost. This policy applies to the following types of international travel and programs:

  • International travel by faculty/staff accompanying students on a CU Boulder-sponsored, CU Boulder-affiliated, or related to a CU Boulder activity/program.

  • Study abroad programs, international internships, research, volunteering, service learning, independent study done abroad, or international travel that is part of a class.
  • International travel by students sponsored by or affiliated with CU Boulder or by CU Boulder student organizations, both affiliated and independent student organizations registered with Center for Student Involvement.

Opportunities abroad - with students

Opportunities abroad - without students

  • Apply for a Fulbright Grant for U.S. Scholars
  • Develop a faculty exchange
  • Teach abroad at a location where CU Boulder has international linkages (e.g., Semester at Sea or other CU-approved education abroad programs). For more information, contact the Office of International Education: 303-492-6016.
  • Attend an international faculty development seminar (listed alphabetically):
    •  (We are an associate member school.)

Faculty Exchange

Faculty exchanges are managed by schools and colleges or academic departments. Both the incoming and outgoing faculty members can expand their teaching and research horizons with new perspectives and have important cross-cultural experiences abroad which they bring back and can use to enrich their home campuses. 

Unlike formal student exchanges that are managed by OIE, faculty exchanges are often less formal.  With student exchanges, it is a fairly straightforward process to exchange tuition and fees and sometimes also on-campus housing.  It is much more difficult to determine a way to exchange salaries and/or housing for faculty.  However, departments have found ways to send faculty overseas and to receive faculty here. 

Generally, negotiations begin more than a year before the exchange is to occur. Subjects that need to be addressed include:

  • financial arrangements for salary and travel
  • detailed expectations for teaching and/or research by the receiving department
  • duration and timing of the exchange
  • health and accident insurance for all parties
  • visa formalities 

It is our experience that compromises are necessary to deal with inequalities in salaries, calendar differences, and, in some cases, heavier teaching loads at international institutions than in the US. Other issues that can complicate exchanges are children's schooling, spouses' employment, and inadequate training in the host country's language.

As much information as possible should be provided by each partner in the exchange, including the individuals' academic credentials and experience; college catalogues and other descriptive materials; course outlines if appropriate; and descriptions of housing, the community, and climate. The host for the incoming exchange faculty member has a very important assignment!

If you hope to set up a faculty exchange that is on-going, there are certain other factors you will need to evaluate. What level of interest does your department, or related departments, have in the country and institution that you hope to make your partner? What is the likelihood of funding faculty for the exchange in future years who have the interest, academic credentials, job security, family situation, linguistic ability, and financial means to participate? Can the other institution find the same level of interest? A realistic evaluation of these factors can protect you from future disappointment and embarrassment.

Those planning faculty exchanges need to obtain departmental and school or college approval.

Fulbright Grants for Faculty

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship program for international educational exchange. It was proposed to the U.S. Congress in 1945 by then freshman Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. In the aftermath of World War II, Senator Fulbright viewed the proposed program as a much-needed vehicle for promoting "mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries of the world." His vision was approved by Congress and the program signed into law by President Truman in 1946.

The program is designed to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.” With this goal as a starting point, the Fulbright Program has provided almost 310,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Fulbright Grant Categories for Scholars

The term "Fulbright Program" encompasses a variety of exchange programs, including both individual and institutional grants. For further information, please visit .

U.S. citizens with PhD's, or other terminal degrees, may apply for the following grant-funded programs:

  • ճ sends approximately 1,200 American scholars and professionals per year to approximately 125 countries, where they lecture and/or conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields.
  • ճ, a short-term complement to the core Fulbright Scholar Program, sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning and related subjects at overseas academic institutions for a period of 2 to 6 weeks.
  • ճ provides grants to approximately 800 foreign scholars from over 155 countries to lecture and/or conduct postdoctoral research at U.S. institutions for an academic semester to a full academic year.
  • ճ enables U.S. colleges and universities to host foreign academics to lecture on a wide range of subject fields for a semester or academic year. Preference is given to institutions developing an international agenda and/or serving a minority audience, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges, small liberal arts colleges and community colleges. Approximately 50 grants are awarded annually.

Updates on the Fulbright program for the 2016-2017 competition and beyond:

  • To register your interest in the program, join the My Fulbright online community for updates and to access helpful resources for applicants: 

  • With the launch of the Core Fulbright Scholar Program competition, restrictions regarding previous Fulbright experiences will no longer be a prohibitive factor in applying for a Fulbright Scholar grant.  Lifetime limit restrictions that were implemented beginning in June of 2006 have now been lifted.  However, as stipulated in  of the Fulbright Program Policies, general preference for Fulbright Scholar opportunities will continue to be given to candidates who have not previously received a Fulbright Scholar grant.
  • The Fulbright Program now includes dependent supplements for same-sex domestic partners.  According to section  of the Fulbright Program Policies concerning dependent supplements, the definition of a dependent is either (1) a spouse, or (2) a qualified same-sex domestic partner, or (3) a relative (child, grandchild, parent, or sibling) who is financially dependent on the grantee.  Accompany dependents are those who spend at least 80% of the grant period with the grantee abroad.

The VIVO Database logs the expertise and research interests of faculty.  Use this to find CU Boulder faculty with international expertise.