The School for Global Engagement

The Institute for Global Engagement's School for Global Engagement seeks to equip a new generation of faith leaders for effective intercultural engagement with an awareness of global trends.  Each School for Global Engagement features a unique combination of interdisciplinary training, informative discussions, and diverse speakers.

The Wycliffe School for Global Engagement: 2008

At the 2008 Wycliffe School for Global Engagement (WSGE) in Florida, participants examined intercultural engagement from a variety of global perspectives: North American, Latin American, Asian (including Chinese and Korean), and African. Speakers from each of these cultures shared their knowledge and experiences, including the successes and challenges they encountered in their engagement of other cultures.  WSGE sought to sustain a place where people of faith could be equipped to think practically about the most pressing issues of our time.

At WSGE, participants agreed on the need for faith leaders to intentionally discuss intercultural engagement while responding to a changing global context. In addition to the main lectures and discussions, leaders from Christian organizations, including IGE and the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, had opportunities to share about their organization's mission and work. This interraction helped clarify each organization's own role in intercultural engagement while highlighting the need to build a global network with other organizations.

WSGE created valuable teaching materials, including online video of the event and a course reading package. IGE is in the process of producing DVDs of the event to enable a broader distribution of the lessons learned. WSGE also served as the intellectual springboard for two new educational programs IGE is developing: a Master of Science in Global Engagement, and the Global Leadership Forum 2009 with Georgetown University.

More information on WSGE 2008 is available at the GlobalChristian website.