MSU celebrates 2026 International Education Week

Michigan State University will celebrate International Education Week Nov. 15-20, with a variety of events across campus and virtually. The annual celebration highlights the importance of international education and cultural exchange while recognizing MSU’s commitment to global learning and partnerships and supporting international communities.

“International Education Week is a time to showcase the rich and vibrant global community we have at Michigan State,” said Anjam Chaudhary, program director for global inclusion in International Studies and Programs. “The opportunities to engage in global learning at MSU are constant, but this is a week when we really highlight what makes our community so exceptional.”

This year also marks the 70th anniversary of International Studies and Programs, though MSU has been intentionally global for much longer. When former MSU President John Hannah took office in 1941, one of his goals was to integrate a global focus throughout the university. He actively recruited international scholars to teach classes and opened various centers dedicated to studies around the world.

Under Hannah’s leadership, the first International Festival was held in 1948 and continued every year thereafter until it was rebranded as the Global Festival in 1998 to mark the event’s 50th year.

The very first International Education Week was held in 1975, though the idea was suggested even earlier by Khalifa Zia-ud-Din, a student from Pakistan who completed his research in 1950.

The 2026 International Education Week at MSU will kick off with Global Festival at 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15 in the International Center. The event offers cultural exhibits, live performances, a global gift shop that opens at noon and a variety of interactive activities. Global Festival welcomes people of all ages.

Featured events throughout International Education Week include:

• Nov. 15
  • Global Festival
    1-5 p.m., International Center
• Nov. 16
  • Fullbright US Student Program: Teach, Study or Research Abroad!
    5 p.m., 201 International Center (virtual option available)
  • Where in the World are Spartans? Travel Books and Map on Display
    MSU Main Library, 1st Floor
• Nov. 17
  • IEW Faculty Panel: Blended Mobility
    11:30 a.m., 303 International Center
• Nov. 18
  • Global Employability Roadmap
    11 a.m., virtual
  • Bridging Global Challenges and Communities Through Strategic Communication: CSR, Sustainability, and Public Engagement
    3:30 p.m., 303 International Center
• Nov. 19
  • Eye On Africa Series: Designing Africa’s Future from Within: Culture, Indigenous Knowledge and Emerging AI
    12:00 p.m., virtual
  • MSU Film Collective: LOS LOBOS DEL ESTE
    7 p.m., B122 Wells Hall
  • The Myth of Empowerment: A Repowerment System Shift
    12:00 p.m., virtual
• Nov. 20
  • Education Abroad Info Session for Veterans and Military-Affiliated Students
    3 p.m., virtual

For more details and to view other featured events beyond IEW, visit the International Education Week website.