NIU is celebrating 50 years of international education next week. 

International Education Week is a chance to recognize the values of international education and will take place on campus from Nov. 18 through Nov. 22 with events recognizing various cultures.

“We stretch it out longer than a week, too; celebrating cross-cultural understanding and collaboration makes IEW special,” Brad Bond, associate vice president of international affairs, said. “Having the opportunity to celebrate 50 years of International Affairs and institutional success is just a wonderful bonus.”

The Division of International Affairs’ vision is to encourage students to develop a global perspective to help them succeed.

“It is great to celebrate our faculty, staff and students that contribute to international education at NIU,” Sarah Lindell, administrative assistant for the division of international affairs, said. “[We have] faculty and staff who internationalize the curriculum, direct study abroad programs, teach and mentor our international students and serve as host families to international program participants.”

The events will include study abroad presentations and a culture fest. “In this global age, it is vital to develop the skills of cross-cultural communication because we are so interconnected,” Lindell said.