Designing better education in the age of globalization by building partnerships, connecting people, and promoting innovation

Several scholars, educators, and policy makers have noted that globalization is not just a passing phenomenon, but rather, the definitive world system. Universities and colleges in the 21st century will need to adopt an educational paradigm where interdependence and interconnectedness among the world's people become the norm. As Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "If people get together, so eventually will nations." Hence, it is necessary to increase international collaboration and activities that promote greater interactions among students, faculty, and industries from different nations. This paper provides details of a new project that has been started at North Dakota State University (NDSU) to promote international collaboration and activities. In the future, NDSU plans to expand the number of disciplines and also open off-campuses in India, Dubai, and other countries. Industrial partnerships are an important part of this project. An industrial advisory board has been set-up for the NDSU-India project, and senior officials from 3M, General Motors (GM), John Deere, and Microsoft have already agreed to serve on the board. Such partnerships can prove beneficial to everyone involved and to the global society as a whole. Inspiration, innovation, empowerment, inquiry, and life-long learning should be an integral part of a curriculum design. Such pedagogies are absolutely essential in the global economy, because they prepare students who can start contributing quickly at their work places, as well as in society. One such program that has been initiated at NDSU is described below.