Faculty-Led Global Programs

Overview

Rice Global invites faculty from across the university to submit expressions of interest for new faculty-led international learning opportunities for Spring and Summer 2027.

As Rice Global develops a broader framework for faculty-led global programming, these 2027 opportunities will allow faculty and students to participate in immersive international experiences while helping Rice Global refine the academic model, administrative processes, and student experience for future faculty-led programming.

Faculty from all schools and disciplines are encouraged to apply. Rice Global is particularly interested in academic experiences that make meaningful use of an international location through fieldwork, research, site visits, engagement with local institutions and organizations, experiential learning, or other opportunities that extend learning beyond the classroom.

At this stage, Rice Global is seeking promising academic concepts rather than fully developed program proposals. Faculty do not need to have a finalized itinerary, budget, international partner, or existing contacts in the destination before submitting an expression of interest.

Program Opportunities

Rice Global is currently exploring three models for Spring and Summer 2027:

1. Spring Break International Immersion

An international experience during Spring Break 2027 that is integrated into an existing Spring 2027 undergraduate course.

The international component should directly advance the learning objectives of the semester-long course through opportunities such as field-based learning, research, site visits, engagement with local institutions or organizations, or other location-specific academic experiences.

2. Post-Semester International Immersion

An approximately 10-day international experience immediately following the conclusion of the Spring 2027 semester.

The immersion may be connected to an existing Spring 2027 course and may potentially include 1–2 academic credits, depending on the proposed academic structure.

This model is intended to extend semester-long learning through an intensive international experience that allows students to apply, explore, or expand upon concepts introduced during the spring course.

3. Standalone Summer Faculty-Led Course

An approximately 2–3 week, 3-credit faculty-led course offered during Summer 2027.

The course should make substantive use of the international location as part of the academic experience and incorporate experiential learning opportunities that could not be replicated in a traditional classroom environment.

Potential Destinations

Rice Global is interested in exploring faculty-led programming in the following locations:

• Argentina
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Mexico, particularly Campeche or Yucatán
• Paraguay
• Peru, particularly Lima and potentially Cusco
• Uruguay
• Brazil
• India, particularly Bangalore

Faculty are not limited to these destinations. Expressions of interest for other international locations are welcome when there is a compelling academic rationale for the destination.

Faculty may also express interest in developing an international program without identifying a specific destination. If a course or academic concept lends itself particularly well to international experiential learning, Rice Global can work with selected faculty to explore destinations that may provide the strongest academic and programmatic fit.

General Program Model

While the structure will vary depending on the program opportunity, Rice Global anticipates that programs will generally:

• Enroll approximately 12–20 students
• Integrate international experiential learning directly into course learning objectives
• Include meaningful engagement with the destination through field experiences, research, institutions, organizations, communities, experts, or culturally relevant activities
• Be developed collaboratively by the faculty member and Rice Global

Courses with larger enrollments are also encouraged to express interest. Where appropriate, faculty may propose a competitive application or selection process for participation in the international component.

For applicable programs, students may pay a modest program participation fee. Rice Global anticipates providing significant financial and administrative support for selected programs, including faculty travel and substantial support toward student program costs. Specific financial arrangements will be determined during program development.

Rice Global Support

Faculty selected to move forward will receive comprehensive administrative and logistical support from Rice Global. Support may include:

• Assistance integrating the international experience into course curriculum and learning objectives
• Program and itinerary development
• Identification and coordination of local partners and/or third-party program providers
• Budget development and financial administration
• Vendor coordination and procurement
• Student recruitment and communications
• Pre-departure orientation and travel preparation
• Risk management, health and safety planning, and travel logistics
• On-site program support, as appropriate, allowing faculty to focus primarily on teaching and student engagement

Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty selected to develop a program will be expected to:

• Collaborate closely with Rice Global to develop the academic and logistical components of the program
• Participate in regular planning meetings during the program development period
• Integrate the international experience into clearly defined learning objectives, assignments, and/or assessments
• Lead the academic components of the international experience
• Participate in post-program assessment and provide feedback to inform the continued development of Rice Global's faculty-led programming

Because of the accelerated timeline for Spring and Summer 2027 programs, selected faculty should be prepared to begin program development shortly after notification.

Expression of Interest Requirements

Faculty interested in developing a Spring or Summer 2027 program should submit the following information:

1. Course or Program Concept

Please provide:

• Course title and number, if associated with an existing or planned course
• A brief description of the course or academic concept
• Preferred program model:
  • Spring Break international immersion
  • Post-semester international immersion
  • Standalone summer faculty-led course
• Current or proposed syllabus, if available

2. Proposed International Experience

Please briefly describe:

• Proposed destination(s), if identified
• Why the destination would be a strong fit for the course or academic topic
• The types of international experiences you envision incorporating, such as fieldwork, research, site visits, engagement with local institutions or organizations, community-based learning, or other experiential opportunities
• Approximate timing, if known

Faculty are not expected to submit a detailed itinerary at this stage.

If you have a strong academic concept but have not identified an appropriate destination, you may indicate that you are open to working with Rice Global to explore potential locations.

3. Academic Rationale

Please briefly address:

• Why the course or academic concept is particularly well suited for an international experience
• How the international experience would advance the course or program's learning objectives
• What students could learn or experience through the international component that would be difficult to achieve in the classroom alone

4. Connection to the Destination

If a destination has been identified, please describe your familiarity with the location, if any. This might include:

• Previous travel or residence
• Teaching or research experience
• Academic or professional relationships
• Institutional, organizational, or community contacts
• Existing collaborators or partnerships

Prior experience or established contacts are not required. Faculty with a strong academic concept but no existing connection to the destination are encouraged to express interest. Rice Global can work with selected faculty to identify appropriate local partners and/or program providers.

5. Student Participation

Please provide, to the extent known:

• Anticipated course enrollment
• Approximate number of students expected to participate in the international component
• If applicable, initial thoughts about how students would be selected if participation needs to be limited

Review Considerations

Expressions of interest will be reviewed based on:

• Strength of the connection between the international experience and academic learning objectives
• Educational value and anticipated student learning outcomes
• Meaningful use of the international location
• Creativity and academic rigor of the proposed experience
• Opportunities for experiential and field-based learning
• Opportunities for meaningful engagement with local institutions, organizations, communities, experts, or partners
• Feasibility of the proposed destination, timing, and activities
• Anticipated student interest and participation
• Ability to develop the program within the Spring/Summer 2027 timeline
• Potential for the program to contribute to the continued development of Rice Global's faculty-led international programming

Timeline

Call for Expressions of Interest Released: Summer 2026
Expression of Interest Deadline: September 15, 2026
Faculty Notification: October 1, 2026
Program Development: Fall 2026–Spring 2027
International Experience: Spring Break 2027, immediately following the Spring 2027 semester, or Summer 2027, depending on the selected program model

Faculty whose concepts are selected for further development will work closely with Rice Global to develop the full academic and operational program, including the itinerary, budget, local partnerships or provider arrangements, student recruitment, travel logistics, and health and safety planning.

Faculty do not need to have a finalized program, itinerary, budget, or international partner in place before submitting an expression of interest.

Submit expressions of interest to: global@rice.edu