For Penn Faculty
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As part of its global mission, Penn is committed to supporting its faculty as they work across borders and disciplines to address the world's pressing challenges.
Support for Global Research Initiatives
Penn Global provides key support for faculty research initiatives to advance Penn as a global leader in research and innovation. We encourage you to explore the ways in which you can partner with our office to make a global impact with your research.
Penn Global Research & Engagement Grant Program
Through our competitive Research & Engagement Grant Program, Penn Global seeds creative, faculty-driven projects that catalyze entrepreneurial initiatives in a global context. The grant program consists of the Holman Africa Research and Engagement Fund (est. 2020), India Research and Engagement Fund (est. 2017), China Research and Engagement Fund (est. 2015), and Global Engagement Fund (est. 2011).
Global Research Events & Sponsorship
Penn Global convenes and co-sponsors numerous conferences, symposia, and worshops designed to highlight the depth and breadth of Penn research around the world. Examples include our annual research symposia; faculty speaker series, highlighting Penn faculty research in China and India; and the annual Penn in Latin America and the Caribbean (PLAC) conference, for which we are a co-sponsor.
To search for sponsorship opportunities, please refer to our grant program. We also encourage you to follow us on Twitter (@PennGlobal) for the latest updates on upcoming events.
Penn Global Research & Engagement Grant Program
Through our competitive Research & Engagement Grant Program, Penn Global seeds creative, faculty-driven projects that catalyze entrepreneurial initiatives in a global context. The grant program consists of the Holman Africa Research and Engagement Fund (est. 2020), India Research and Engagement Fund (est. 2017), China Research and Engagement Fund (est. 2015), and Global Engagement Fund (est. 2011).
Global Research Events & Sponsorship
Penn Global convenes and co-sponsors numerous conferences, symposia, and worshops designed to highlight the depth and breadth of Penn research around the world. Examples include our annual research symposia; faculty speaker series, highlighting Penn faculty research in China and India; and the annual Penn in Latin America and the Caribbean (PLAC) conference, for which we are a co-sponsor.
To search for sponsorship opportunities, please refer to our grant program. We also encourage you to follow us on Twitter (@PennGlobal) for the latest updates on upcoming events.
Support for Global Teaching Activities
From organizing a short-term travel component as part of your semester class, to mentoring Penn students on a global research initiative, to making your teaching more policy-relevant, there are a number of ways we can partner with you to support your global teaching activities and ambitions.
Penn Global Seminars
Penn Global Seminars (PGS) combine intensive semester-long study with a short-term travel component during a break period that is intended to deepen students’ understanding of concepts discussed in the classroom. These courses require the same number of contact hours per week as a typical undergraduate seminar, in addition to the embedded 8-12 day travel abroad component during winter break, spring break, or early-mid May.
Penn Global Seminars are a partnership between Penn Global and Penn’s academic departments. This program could not exist without the support and interest of Penn’s faculty, department chairs, deans, and administrative staff.
Penn Global Research Institutes
Penn Global Research Institutes (PGRI) provide outstanding undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to conduct research abroad alongside Penn faculty during the summer. Launched during the 2021/22 academic year, PGRI supports a small research team of Penn students, led by a Penn faculty member, that seek to address major global challenges. The team works together throughout the year, with an opportunity to travel over the summer to conduct fieldwork and other research activities.
Lead a Penn Global Research Institute
Global Policy Course Enrichment Grants
Perry World House's Global Policy Course Enrichment Grant program strengthens Penn by building bridges between classes in the Penn curriculum and the world of global policy. The program awards grants of up to $10,000 to enable Penn faculty to make a course more global policy-relevant by:
- designing new course or the curricular redesign of an existing course;
- inviting guest speakers from relevant global policy communities; or
- developing policy-oriented case studies or other creative connections with the policy world.
Penn Global Seminars
Penn Global Seminars (PGS) combine intensive semester-long study with a short-term travel component during a break period that is intended to deepen students’ understanding of concepts discussed in the classroom. These courses require the same number of contact hours per week as a typical undergraduate seminar, in addition to the embedded 8-12 day travel abroad component during winter break, spring break, or early-mid May.
Penn Global Seminars are a partnership between Penn Global and Penn’s academic departments. This program could not exist without the support and interest of Penn’s faculty, department chairs, deans, and administrative staff.
Penn Global Research Institutes
Penn Global Research Institutes (PGRI) provide outstanding undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to conduct research abroad alongside Penn faculty during the summer. Launched during the 2021/22 academic year, PGRI supports a small research team of Penn students, led by a Penn faculty member, that seek to address major global challenges. The team works together throughout the year, with an opportunity to travel over the summer to conduct fieldwork and other research activities.
Lead a Penn Global Research Institute
Global Policy Course Enrichment Grants
Perry World House's Global Policy Course Enrichment Grant program strengthens Penn by building bridges between classes in the Penn curriculum and the world of global policy. The program awards grants of up to $10,000 to enable Penn faculty to make a course more global policy-relevant by:
- designing new course or the curricular redesign of an existing course;
- inviting guest speakers from relevant global policy communities; or
- developing policy-oriented case studies or other creative connections with the policy world.
Support for Global Policy Engagement
Perry World House, located on Penn's campus at 38th and Locust Walk, and Penn Biden Center, based in Washington, D.C., are two of Penn's global centers focused on engaging the University in policy-relevant work, research, and dialogue.
Perry World House Programs for Faculty
Perry World House is Penn's hub for global policy engagement, with a focus on bringing Penn's academic knowledge to bear on some of the world's most pressing global policy challenges. Perry World House supports Penn faculty who desire to engage the global policy world and broaden their research and teaching impact. Programs available to faculty include:
Faculty Affiliates
Faculty affiliates are expected to participate in some of Perry World House's events throughout the year, and will be given opportunities to meet and interact with PWH visitors and students.
Faculty Fellows
The Faculty Fellows program aims to deepen the collaboration between faculty members across all of Penn’s 12 schools and Perry World House by providing robust support for global policy-relevant faculty research and engagement.
Lightning Scholars
Inspired by Penn founder Benjamin Franklin's groundbreaking research in electricity, this program brings untenured, but tenure-track, faculty at either the assistant or associate level from around the world to Philadelphia for a semester or year of writing, fellowship, and bridging the gap between academia and the policy world.
Perry World House Grants for Faculty
Perry World House is Penn's hub for global policy engagement, with a focus on bringing Penn's academic knowledge to bear on some of the world's most pressing global policy challenges. Perry World House supports Penn faculty who desire to engage the global policy world and broaden their research and teaching impact. Grants available to faculty include:
Global Policy Course Enrichment Grants
Through this grant program, Penn faculty receive support to make their teaching more policy-relevant, with grants available to design a new course, invite guest speakers, and more.
International Visitors Grant Program
Members of the Penn community - faculty, research centers, institutes, programs, and student groups - can apply for funding of up to $1,000 to bring an international policy visitor to Penn from abroad, using virtual learning, programming, and engagement strategies.
PWH-Foreign Affairs Emerging Scholars Policy Prize
Perry World House has partnered with Foreign Affairs for the Perry World House-Foreign Affairs Emerging Scholars Policy Prize. This $10,000 prize encourages scholars to translate their own academic work to be more accessible to a broader policy audience.
Penn Biden Center
The Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania is founded on the principle that a democratic, open, secure, tolerant, and interconnected world benefits all Americans. Based in our nation’s capital, the Penn Biden Center engages Penn’s students and partners with its faculty and global centers to convene world leaders, develop and advance smart policy, and strengthen the national debate for continued American global leadership in the 21st century.
Perry World House Programs for Faculty
Perry World House is Penn's hub for global policy engagement, with a focus on bringing Penn's academic knowledge to bear on some of the world's most pressing global policy challenges. Perry World House supports Penn faculty who desire to engage the global policy world and broaden their research and teaching impact. Programs available to faculty include:
Faculty Affiliates
Faculty affiliates are expected to participate in some of Perry World House's events throughout the year, and will be given opportunities to meet and interact with PWH visitors and students.
Faculty Fellows
The Faculty Fellows program aims to deepen the collaboration between faculty members across all of Penn’s 12 schools and Perry World House by providing robust support for global policy-relevant faculty research and engagement.
Lightning Scholars
Inspired by Penn founder Benjamin Franklin's groundbreaking research in electricity, this program brings untenured, but tenure-track, faculty at either the assistant or associate level from around the world to Philadelphia for a semester or year of writing, fellowship, and bridging the gap between academia and the policy world.
Perry World House Grants for Faculty
Perry World House is Penn's hub for global policy engagement, with a focus on bringing Penn's academic knowledge to bear on some of the world's most pressing global policy challenges. Perry World House supports Penn faculty who desire to engage the global policy world and broaden their research and teaching impact. Grants available to faculty include:
Global Policy Course Enrichment Grants
Through this grant program, Penn faculty receive support to make their teaching more policy-relevant, with grants available to design a new course, invite guest speakers, and more.
International Visitors Grant Program
Members of the Penn community - faculty, research centers, institutes, programs, and student groups - can apply for funding of up to $1,000 to bring an international policy visitor to Penn from abroad, using virtual learning, programming, and engagement strategies.
PWH-Foreign Affairs Emerging Scholars Policy Prize
Perry World House has partnered with Foreign Affairs for the Perry World House-Foreign Affairs Emerging Scholars Policy Prize. This $10,000 prize encourages scholars to translate their own academic work to be more accessible to a broader policy audience.
Penn Biden Center
The Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania is founded on the principle that a democratic, open, secure, tolerant, and interconnected world benefits all Americans. Based in our nation’s capital, the Penn Biden Center engages Penn’s students and partners with its faculty and global centers to convene world leaders, develop and advance smart policy, and strengthen the national debate for continued American global leadership in the 21st century.
Other Support for Global Activities
Penn's At-Risk Scholars Program
The University of Pennsylvania’s At-Risk Scholars Program provides central University support to Penn Schools, centers, and departments who wish to help at-risk scholars escape persecution and danger to themselves and their families through a period of residence at Penn. The At-Risk Scholars Program, administered by the Office of the Provost, is intended to simultaneously lend humanitarian aid and refuge to at-risk scholars and to enhance the University’s teaching, research, and service missions.
If your department would like to sponsor an at-risk scholar, we recommend visiting the program's website to get started.
International Visting Scholars & Researchers
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) provides immigration support and guidance to international students, scholars, staff, and faculty across the University, including University central, Penn's 12 Schools, and the University of Pennsylvania Health System. For guidance on hiring foreign nationals, please refer to the ISSS website.
International Travel
Are you a member of the Penn community seeking support for your travel abroad? Check out our website dedicated to International Travel Guidance. From pre-departure support to 24/7 assistance while abroad, Penn is here to support you before, during, and after your trip.
Global Operations
Global Support Services (GSS) supports the administrative and business functions of the University’s international activities including, but not limited to, the areas of risk, labor, tax, and compliance. Additionally, GSS manages the University's at-risk travel policy.
GSS works closely with International Risk Management, Office of General Counsel, and Research Services, among many others to advise and support central organizations, Schools and centers on new and ongoing international activities.
International Agreements & Partnerships
Global Support Services (GSS) supports the administrative and business functions of the University’s international activities including the development of new international MOUs and agreements. We also maintain a record of existing school/center agreements.
Note: Before an agreement can be signed, it must be reviewed by both the Associate Vice Provost of Global Initiatives and the Executive Director of Global Support Services to ensure that your institutional agreement conforms to the University guidelines and to determine the appropriate signatory.
Penn's At-Risk Scholars Program
The University of Pennsylvania’s At-Risk Scholars Program provides central University support to Penn Schools, centers, and departments who wish to help at-risk scholars escape persecution and danger to themselves and their families through a period of residence at Penn. The At-Risk Scholars Program, administered by the Office of the Provost, is intended to simultaneously lend humanitarian aid and refuge to at-risk scholars and to enhance the University’s teaching, research, and service missions.
If your department would like to sponsor an at-risk scholar, we recommend visiting the program's website to get started.
International Visting Scholars & Researchers
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) provides immigration support and guidance to international students, scholars, staff, and faculty across the University, including University central, Penn's 12 Schools, and the University of Pennsylvania Health System. For guidance on hiring foreign nationals, please refer to the ISSS website.
International Travel
Are you a member of the Penn community seeking support for your travel abroad? Check out our website dedicated to International Travel Guidance. From pre-departure support to 24/7 assistance while abroad, Penn is here to support you before, during, and after your trip.
Global Operations
Global Support Services (GSS) supports the administrative and business functions of the University’s international activities including, but not limited to, the areas of risk, labor, tax, and compliance. Additionally, GSS manages the University's at-risk travel policy.
GSS works closely with International Risk Management, Office of General Counsel, and Research Services, among many others to advise and support central organizations, Schools and centers on new and ongoing international activities.
International Agreements & Partnerships
Global Support Services (GSS) supports the administrative and business functions of the University’s international activities including the development of new international MOUs and agreements. We also maintain a record of existing school/center agreements.
Note: Before an agreement can be signed, it must be reviewed by both the Associate Vice Provost of Global Initiatives and the Executive Director of Global Support Services to ensure that your institutional agreement conforms to the University guidelines and to determine the appropriate signatory.