International Education Week (IEW), a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, is celebrated annually the third week in November in the U.S. and 100 countries around the world, and is an opportunity for schools and universities to showcase the benefits of international education and promote international and cultural exchange at their institutions.
This year at Purdue University various colleges and units have come together to offer a week of engaging activities and events for the Purdue community. All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend!
Select a day to view the events!
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM: International Dance Performance
Location: 101 South Grant Street - Purdue Memorial Union North Ballroom
Performances by:
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM: Take a Snack Break with Agriculture Study Abroad
Location: 615 West State Street - AGAD 104
Stop in AGAD 104 to discuss study abroad programs offered in the College of Agriculture and taste some international snacks. The office will be open to everyone on November 18th from 9 am to 4 pm.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Digital Health Transformation: Learning From Global Communities
Location: 1101 3rd Street - Innovation Forum, HCRN
The future of healthcare is digital! Join us at the John Martinson Honors College for an engaging workshop exploring how digital health is transforming healthcare globally! Faculty, students, and staff are invited to learn about the latest in digital health, with a focus on real-world applications and examples from diverse communities worldwide. Designed for anyone interested in healthcare innovation, this workshop covers:
Join us on Health Action Plan, provided by Community and Well-Being Learning Collaborative
Bio: Dr. Mousazadeh is a postdoctoral research assistant at the John Martinson Honors College. He specializes in community development, tourism management, happiness and well-being and sustainable development. He aims to pioneer innovative solutions that promote sustainability and enhance the quality of life and well-being. He is an editor and reviewer for a number of journals including Community Development, International Journal of Community Well-being, International Journal of Happiness and Development and Tourism and Management studies.
6:00 - 8:00 PM: International Expo
Location: 1101 3rd Street - Honors Hall, HCRN
Explore different countries and cultures represented by Purdue student organizations, departments, and students. Enjoy some international candy treats as you mingle and learn.
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Women's Coffee and Conversation
Location: 523 North Russell Street - International Center
Join this welcoming group for a relaxed coffee and chat, a perfect space for women—especially spouses—to connect, share experiences, and build friendships.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM: CILMAR: Experiential Learning Tools for Diverse Groups - Indianapolis
The Center for Intercultural Learning, Mentorship, Assessment, and Research (CILMAR) will lead a workshop to demonstrate three experiential learning tools for diverse groups to build relationships and rapport alongside debriefing and reflection. These tools will be available for faculty and staff to check out in the ExEd in Indianapolis office. If you are interested in attending the demo, please register now. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited to the first 20 registrations so act fast! Registration deadline: Friday, Nov 15. This event is open to faculty and staff.
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: International Career Collective (ICC) Career Expo
Location: Virtual (On Handshake)
Purdue University, Daniels School of Business is a partner of the International Career Collective (ICC). Business Career Services is co-hosting the ICC Career Expo together with 20+ universities who are part of the International Career Collective. International students are invited to join to connect with employers open to hiring international candidates and learn more about internship and/or job opportunities. While Business Career Services is leading the planning, any Purdue international student is welcome to join. Non-business students must create a Handshake account to access the event by following these steps before registering. Registration will open in Handshake on Friday, November 8 at 12pm EST. After registering, you must sign-up for group sessions and/or 1:1 meetings with employers. Register Here.
3:00 - 4:00 PM: Language & Conversation Practice: Chinese, Korean Indonesian, & Vietnamese
Location: 915 5th Street - Asian and Asian American Resource Culture Center (AAARCC)
Visit the AAARCC for casual language and conversation practice. Open to all in the campus community interested in practicing Asian languages, including Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, and Vietnamese. No registration needed—just drop by and start a conversation.
5:30 PM: Stories Across Borders
Location: 1101 3rd Street - Innovation Forum, HCRN
Come join other staff and students at the John Martinson Honors College as we reflect on the fun, mistakes, and learning experiences of study abroad. Whether you were studying outside the United States or are an international student studying at Purdue, come share your stories over some food. Additionally, we will share current opportunities across campus to get abroad as affordably as possible! Food provided.
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Learn about the Global Student Ambassador Program
Location: Virtual, WebEx
Join us to learn about the Global Student Ambassador Program! Open to both domestic and international students, this program empowers students to foster intercultural connections at Purdue by supporting international visitors, assisting with events, and mentoring incoming students. Ambassadors gain leadership, cultural awareness, and community-building skills, all while advancing Purdue’s global engagement.
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Cross Cultural Kitchen with Myanmar Student Association (MYSA)
Location: 523 North Russell Street -International Center
Join MYSA and Cross Cultural Association (CCA) to make and enjoy delicious Myanmar snacks and desserts together!
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Low Carbon and Affordable Concrete 3D-Printed Houses: Opportunities and Research Needs
Location: 420 Central Drive - DUDL 4117A
Concrete 3-D printing (C3DP) is an important trending technology for the future of civil engineering construction. It may accelerate the construction process, reduce labor costs and potentially generate significantly less waste materials. The deployment of C3DP depends on many factors: political economic and technological. Research on this technology is therefore multidisciplinary and must adopt a holistic view. This seminar will present the opportunities of C3DP for the future of civil engineering, as well as the status of the technology worldwide and the challenges ahead.
Biography: Dr. Paulo Borges is the Fulbright Chair in Interdisciplinary Studies for 2024. He is currently an associate professor at the Federal Center for Technological Education of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where the teaches, conducts research and supervises postgraduate students on sustainable construction materials for Civil Engineering. Borges has been a graduate student and visiting professor at universities in UK and Canada. He also has extensive industry experience with international groups in sales, technical services and R&D relating to raw materials and construction materials. His current research is focused on new alkaline cements, high-performance cement-based composites, mechanical properties, durability and microstructure of low-carbon materials, use of industrial and agricultural residues for affordable low-carbon binders for additive manufacturing (3D printing).
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Center for Career Opportunities (CCO) Satellite Hour at Honors College
Location: 1101 3rd Street - Innovation Forum, HCRN
Students are welcome to stop by during CCO satellite hour at John Martinson Honors College to have a conversation about career planning and job search resources. No appointment is required.
3:00 PM: GoinGlobal's F-1 Student Work Visa Strategies: What's Required for OPT, CPT, & STEM Extensions
Location: Virtual
GoinGlobal is a CCO partner to provide international and domestic students with resources regarding job opportunities both in and outside the U.S. The webinar on 11/20 will focus on requirements for OPT, CPT and STEM OPT to strategize your visa options for international students. Registration Required.
4:30 PM: Study Abroad: General Information Session
Location: 100 South Grant Street - Rawls 2070
Emily Kollin, Study Abroad Advisor, will hold a general information session about studying abroad.
5:30 PM: International Student Thanksgiving Dinner
Location: 1000 Mitch Daniels Boulevard - Purdue Christian Campus House
Campus House is providing a traditional Thanksgiving meal for international students. They will be serving Halal turkey. Registration is required.
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Spanish Conversation Table
Location: 426 Waldron Street - Latino Cultural Center (LCC)
Purdue University and Greater Lafayette community members are invited to practice their Spanish conversation skills with Heritage Spanish Speaker Silvana. No quizzes or tests, just fun speaking Spanish!
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: International Movie Night: Fun in France (The Gilded Cage)
Location: 625 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis - Innovation Hall (IO) 102
Join us in Indianapolis for Fun in France (The Gilded Cage), a French-Portuguese comedy in French with English subtitles. This heartwarming film follows a Portuguese family in Paris as they balance dreams, culture, and identity. Relax, laugh, and enjoy a night of international film! Free food.
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM: The Lifelong Necessity for Cultural Humility - PICLCoP#4
A workshop with Annette Benson and Stephanie Bowers.
Created especially for International Education Week, this workshop provides an excellent opportunity for interculturalists to bring a friend to this highly interactive session.
This gathering of the Purdue InterCultural Learning Community of Practice (PICLCoP) is open to all faculty, staff, post-docs, and graduate students, regardless of past engagement with the community, and offers a survey of activities and assessments which can be used in discussing with learners the importance of cultural humility. In order to clarify terms, the session will begin with a discussion of the difference between the oft-used terms intercultural competence and intercultural effectiveness as compared to cultural humility. Experiential activities surveyed implement a video, a case study, a meme, and a discussion technique which aims to push back against dominant narratives. The workshop will conclude with the suggestion of two assessments—one particularly for the measuring of cultural humility and the other for the willingness to listen.
If you have any questions about access or to request any accommodations that will facilitate your full participation in this event, please contact Tatjana Babic Williams at tbabic@purdue.edu.
This event is a professional Development for faculty, staff, post-docs, and graduate students.
Registration is required to attend - register here by selecting the November 21 PICLCoP event.
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM: Global Trivia Challenge and Food Fest!
Location: 1101 3rd Street - Honors Hall, HCRN
Join the Purdue Malaysian, Thai, Iranian, Indonesian, and Japanese Associations at the John Martinson Honors College as we try various national dishes for FREE! In addition, compete in the Global Trivia Challenge. Teams of 2-5 must be present and registered by 6 PM. Trivia will begin promptly at 6:05 PM. Prizes will be provided to the top three teams.
6:30 PM - 8:30: Film Screening and Interactive Session: "Déjà vu -Where the past meets the future"
Location: 1198 3rd Street - KRACH 260
Join the director of the film, Dr. Bedabrata Pain, to watch and discuss Déjà vu -Where the past meets the future. 2024 began with farmers all over Europe raising their voices in protest. At the same time, farmers in India re-initiated their protest march to Delhi with Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the forefront of their demands. As it turns out that four decades ago, similar market reforms were ushered in in America. A more classic case of “back to the future” perhaps could not be found. How did the reforms turn out? Who benefitted? Who lost out? Is it the farmers, the consumers, or the corporates? What impact did loss of MSP (or parity as it is called in America) or ushering in of contract farming have on farmers? Through personal experiences and human stories of small farmers in America, Deja Vu is chronicle of a four-decade long history of a much-trumpeted elixir – and a cautionary tale for India.
Bedabrata Pain was an award-winning senior research scientist at NASA and Caltech. He holds over 90 patents and is an inductee to the US Space Technology Hall of Fame. With his debut film Chittagong (2012), he won the Golden Lotus in the Indian National Awards as well as many international awards. Dr. Pain is a technology consultant for the prime movie-camera maker RED Digital Cinema. He received his B. Tech. degree from IIT Kharagpur in 1986, and his Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University in 1992, and taught in UCLA from 1998-2008, and has received prestigious awards such as the Lew-Allen Award, NASA Inventors Award, and IIT Distinguished Alumnus Award.
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Pre-Kwanzaa Program
Location: 1100 3rd Street - Black Cultural Center
Join the Sankofa Scholars for a special pre-Kwanzaa celebration on Thursday, November 21. Kwanzaa is a 7 day non-religious and cultural holiday meant to honor African Americans ancestral roots. It begins on the day after Christmas and lasts until January 1. Since Purdue is on break during this period we celebrate the 7 principles of Kwanzaa: Unity, Self Determination, Collective work & Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith in our Pre-Kwanzaa program. We invite you to join us!
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Cross Cultural Kitchen with Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) Student Union
Location: 523 North Russell Street -International Center
Join SWANA and Cross Cultural Association (CCA) to cook and enjoy an authentic Southwest Asian (Middle Eastern) and North African dinner, immersing yourself in the culture and community!
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Intercultural Research and Assessment: Opportunities for Global Impact
Location: 100 North University Street - BRNG 3292
This professional development opportunity focuses on study abroad programs’ impact on students and assessment methods in College of Education. Guest speakers from CILMAR: Dr. Aparajita Jaiswal and Dr. Daniel Jones. Registration Required.
This event is a professional development opportunity for faculty and graduate students.
10:45 AM - 12:15 PM: English Conversation Group
Location: 523 North Russell Street - International Center
Practice English in a friendly, supportive setting! This group is ideal for spouses and dependents looking to improve language skills and connect with others in the community.
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM: International Research Panel
Location: 1101 3rd Street - Innovation Forum, HCRN
This panel highlighting international research projects and initiatives at Purdue features Dharmendra Saraswat, professor of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Paul Asunda, associate professor of Engineering/Technology Education, and Sonak Pastakia, professor of Pharmacy. Each panelist will take some time to present aspects of their international research activities including Dr. Saraswat’s focus on precision/digital agriculture, Dr. Asunda’s work to prepare pre-service teachers with best practices around curriculum development, and Dr. Pastakia’s on-site work in rural Kenya. Join us to learn about these groundbreaking research areas, and you will have the chance to interact with the panelists directly.
Lunch will be provided after the panel. Registration Required.
3:00 PM - 4:00: Language & Conversation Practice: Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, & Vietnamese
Location: 915 5th Street - Asian and Asian American Resource Cultural Center (AAARCC)
Visit the AAARCC for casual language and conversation practice. Open to all in the campus community interested in practicing Asian languages, including Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, and Vietnamese. No registration needed—just drop by and start a conversation.
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM: International Game Night
Location: 1101 3rd Street - Honors Hall, HCRN
Celebrate the close of International Education Week with a fun mix of American and international games! It’s the perfect way to unwind, connect with others, and take a break from midterms. All are welcome!
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM: International Game Night - Indianapolis
Location: 625 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis - Innovation Hall (IO) 101
Celebrate the close of International Education Week with a fun mix of American and international games! It’s the perfect way to unwind, connect with others, and take a break from midterms. All are welcome!
Fill out this interest form if you want to participate or share ideas for IEW, November 17-21, 2025.