Purdue’s Global Partnerships and Programs launches Giant Leaps for Global Impact campaign during International Education Week

In celebration of International Education Week, Purdue’s Office of Global Partnerships and Programs (GPP) is launching the Giant Leaps for Global Impact campaign — a bold, multiyear initiative that underscores Purdue’s commitment to international education and research, transnational partnerships, and the values of a modern global land-grant university.

A cornerstone of the campaign is the new Global Impact Fund, designed to catalyze international collaboration and innovation through seven distinct grant programs targeting all Purdue stakeholders, including students, faculty and staff. The fund’s premier initiative, the Giant Leaps Study Abroad Scholarship Program, is a five-year commitment to increase access to international experiences for Purdue students. The program, supported by an annual $1 million investment jointly by GPP and Purdue’s colleges, will make international educational opportunities more attainable through grants based on student financial need. The program will ensure that Boilermakers from all socioeconomic backgrounds have the opportunity to gain invaluable perspectives and global competencies through both short-term and longer-term study abroad programs.

The other six new grant programs to be launched are these:

1. International Travel Grants — Supporting faculty participation in disciplinary or interdisciplinary international conferences, symposia or workshops. International travel grants may also support short-term travel to conduct archive or field research, install an exhibit or perform in a creative production.
   
2. New Ideas Grants — Enabling Purdue faculty to launch new international initiatives and nurture innovative ideas that are outside the box.
   
3. Global Partners Collaboration Grants — Encouraging joint projects or workshops between Purdue and international partner institutions.
   
4. International Short-Term Visitor Grants — Facilitating travel for distinguished visitors to Purdue for events such as workshops, lectures or performances.
   
5. Student Enrichment Grants — Enriching the Purdue student community through funding to promote international events on campus by Purdue student organizations.
   
6. Global Professional Development Grants — Providing Purdue staff with opportunities to deepen their global expertise and bring fresh insights to campus through participation in courses, workshops or seminars.

More information on these grants, including award amounts, application procedures, deadlines, etc., will be available in January 2025 on the Global Partnerships and Programs website.

“Purdue University proudly upholds its land-grant mission in Indiana, fostering education, research and community engagement that benefit our state,” said Dimitrios Peroulis, senior vice president for partnerships and online and the Reilly Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “Simultaneously, we embrace our role as a leading global university, bringing together brilliant minds with unique perspectives and rich experiences. We are excited to launch the Giant Leaps for Global Impact campaign, further empowering our community to make meaningful contributions both locally and globally.”

As home to approximately 10,000 international students, Purdue consistently ranks in the top 10 for international student enrollment in the annual Open Doors report. These students enrich Purdue’s vibrant campus community and drive its global vision forward. With an unwavering commitment to world-changing research and excellence at scale, Purdue has produced three World Food Prize winners and two Nobel Prize winners, exemplifying its dedication to addressing societal grand challenges.

“Through the Giant Leaps for Global Impact campaign, Purdue is amplifying its leadership in international education and research, paving the way for students, faculty and partners to make a global impact,” said Vijay Raghunathan, vice president for global partnerships and programs, director of semiconductor education, and professor of electrical and computer engineering. “This campaign reaffirms Purdue’s commitment to the power of education, innovation and collaboration to address the world’s most pressing issues, staying true to the university’s mission of excellence at scale — a mission that now reaches across borders and continents.”

Purdue’s commitment to advancing a modern land-grant mission extends well beyond its West Lafayette campus. In 2025, Purdue will open the Center for Education and Engagement in New Delhi, India — a testament to its dedication to accessible, impactful education and its expanding influence as a global university. This center will serve as a hub for fostering partnerships, supporting Purdue’s growing network of alumni in the region, and providing a gateway for students in India interested in engaging with Purdue’s world-class programs.

From empowering students to embrace global opportunities to fostering innovative partnerships, Purdue’s Giant Leaps for Global Impact campaign represents a shared commitment to advancing knowledge and creating meaningful change. Together, Purdue’s students, faculty, staff and alumni will continue to define what it means to lead on a global stage, demonstrating the relentless drive and ambition that make Boilermakers truly exceptional.