The continuing integration of global economies and societies affects nearly every part of our lives – education, communities, business, government. For Purdue Extension, this means responding proactively to the global forces that are shaping Indiana so that we can maintain our effectiveness in serving our local clientele and addressing local needs. For Extension to meet the demands of an interconnected world where global communities are converging, our educators and specialists will need to understand the intricacies of that interconnectedness and possess the skills necessary to succeed within it.
International volunteer opportunities
See below for current opportunities available to qualified extension professionals:
| Post date |
Organization |
Opportunity |
| 4/17/2009 |
Partners of the Americas |
Farmer-to-Farmer in Haiti, Nicaragua, Guyana, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, El Salvador, Guatemala |
| 3/4/2009 |
Volunteers for Prosperity |
More than 200 organizations with opportunities ranging from Agriculture to Women & Youth Empowerment |
| 3/4/2009 |
Winrock |
Farmer-to-Farmer in West Africa and Middle East & North Africa Regions |
| 2/27/2009 |
ACDI/VOCA |
Bolivia |
| 2/25/2009 |
CNFA |
Farmer-to-Farmer in East Africa, Southern Africa, and Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia through 2013 |
| 12/10/2008 |
ACDI/VOCA |
Short-term consultants, worldwide |
| 12/10/2008 |
ACDI/VOCA |
Monitoring & Evaluation, worldwide |
Several not-for-profit entities provide opportunities and experiences to strengthen the competence and confidence of extension field staff to work with international aspects of extension. Visit the following Web sites to learn more about each organization's volunteer opportunities:
Upcoming events and workshops
Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) Annual Conference - May 16-19, 2010 - Saskatoon, Canada
International Extension Quarterly Newsletters
April 2009
July 2009
October 2009
International Extension Curriculum
This is a needs-based, national curriculum to build the international skills of Extension personnel by strengthening educator's ability to develop activities relevant to the global realities of their location. It was originally developed in 2003 by Purdue University, in partnership with Iowa State, Ohio State and Florida A&M.
See International Extension Curriculum for more information.
Study abroad student speaker's list
Each year more than 175 students from the College of Agriculture go abroad to study and experience new cultures. Upon their return, many of these students have offered to speak about their experiences. Consider inviting one of these students to speak at a local event or program. Incorporating their presentation into your programming highlights the importance and benefits of international experiences, and gives Purdue students the opportunity to interact with local communities.
For a current list of available student speakers, contact Jim Murren at 765-494-9831 or jmurren@purdue.edu.
Additional resources and Web sites
Purdue Intercultural Action Committee for Extension - www.ces.purdue.edu/iace
Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education - www.aiaee.org
National Diversity Center on eXtension - www.extension.org/pages/Diversity_Center
Epsilon Sigma Phi, Global Relations Committee - espnational.org/GoGlobal/index.htm
Extensión en Español - extensionenespanol.net
National Initiative to Internationalize Extension - web1.msue.msu.edu/intext/newsite
Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development - aiard.org
For more information, contact:
Jim Murren
International Extension Program Coordinator
Ph.: 765-494-9831
E-mail: jmurren@purdue.edu