The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a prominent example which indicates that the nature of scholarly inquiry and practice is "transcending national [and often disciplinary] borders and requiring international collaboration for effective solutions" (Skipper, 2021). To meet these challenges requires the development of faculty prepared to engage effectively in global contexts (Kuffuor et al., 2024). Professional development (PD) models for faculty are needed because the number of faculty engaged in academic diplomacy (AD) in cross-institutional, cross-cultural environments is expanding in quantity, frequency, and scope.
This exploratory, qualitative study sought to further define AD as a faculty development competency with a goal to provide an actionable model for implementation across institutional units. Grounded in McClelland’s classis theory of competency at work (1973) positing that competencies must be enacted to be fully achieved, researchers employed the Delphi method in multi-round interviews with globally-engaged faculty members across five domains (arts/humanities, social sciences, STEM, education and healthcare). Study results suggest four prominent themes: role awareness (recognizing one’s role as engaged in AD is a critical pre-requisite to engaging in PD), cultural and intellectual humility (need for sustained development and pedagogical practices), negotiation and conflict resolution (faculty relationships often supersede political rhetoric) and partnership development (to address global challenges).
The significance is that in a time of national funding cuts for cross-cultural exchange, the PD model offers universities an opportunity to deepen their global leadership. Strategies for integration of PD across multiple professional fields as well as cooperation across multiple units are offered.

Authors:
Lisa Lambert Snodgrass, Purdue University, United States
Laura Cruz, Penn State, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Lisa Lambert Snodgrass, Ph.D., Associate Professor, is a founding faculty and Director of the Purdue University Higher Education Ph.D. programs. Research centers on cultural dimensions of policy, systems, & structures, domestically & internationally.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisalambertsnodgrass

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lisa-Lambert-Snodgrass

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