The Story of GLOBE, Part 2

GLOBE 15 Anniversary | Feature Story | Part 2 of 2

The Story of GLOBE

Anthony ST. GEORGE, Oct 1, 2020

Undergraduate Programs:

In Spring 2019, we offered the non-credit GLOBE Ambassadors program for a cohort of 20 students, studying companies and innovation across engineering fields in the Philippines and Singapore, culminating in a one-week visit to academic, governmental, corporate partners, friends, and alumni in those countries. 

In Fall 2019, we began offering, ENGIN 187: Global Engineering, in which engineering students learn the challenges of international expansion first-hand through live and written case studies and by working with start-ups from that semester’s country-of-focus (e.g., Taiwan in Fall 2019).

Also in Fall 2019, we also launched the GLOBE Scholars program to provide scholarships to students seeking summer research or corporate internship overseas. To be awarded a scholarship, students are also required to carry out a research project at their destination country in which they engage with and study social justice issues faced by an under-represented community.  Upon their return, the scholars present the experiences and successes of that community to the Berkeley community.  Projects are vetted and approved by Berkeley Engineering faculty and John Kaiser from the Department of Sociology.

While the first round of applicants proposed fascinating research ideas in countries ranging from Japan to Germany to Lebanon. In 2020, with the arrival of COVID-19, this program had to be postponed but will resume when international travel again becomes safe.

International Executive Education, Online, and Outreach Programs:

Another GLOBE responsibility over the years was the development of non-degree distance education and international executive education programs.  Early in its founding, GLOBE organized or facilitated, on behalf of the College of Engineering and other campus units, numerous customized executive education programs with cohorts of executives from countries such as China, Italy, and Denmark. This effort became Berkeley Engineering’s Executive and Professional Education (EPE) programs.

In 2019, with Berkeley Engineering’s development of a relationship with Shorelight Education, GLOBE worked with EPE and faculty to develop international online education offerings, enabling Berkeley Engineering to increase its educational and outreach programs globally. In Fall 2020 GLOBE launched GLOBE Online to provide for-credit courses to students around the world.

Lastly, also in Fall 2020, the GLOBE team launched GLOBE Include, an online program to engage with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions through remote platforms. Students from participating institutions such as Howard University are able to engage in professional development and remote research advising. 

Onwards into the Future:

While I have officially retired from UC Berkeley to pursue additional life goals, I am delighted to remain engaged with GLOBE as a lecturer and unofficial advisor. With its wide-ranging programs to benefit both faculty and students, I am proud to have been a part of GLOBE’s growth and success. With international collaboration now more important than ever, I trust that GLOBE will remain an essential part of the Berkeley Engineering community and continue to celebrate many years of fostering innovation and friendship around the world.