A $25,000 grant will help the Office of International Programs (OIP) create a new pilot, student exchange program with the Universidad Externado (UE) de Colombia to study the fundamental approaches to conflict resolution and peace initiatives in both countries, while also teaching students about the practical skills necessary to build careers in this field.

OIP, the Department of Political Science and the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies partnered to create the program, which will provide students with the opportunity to learn from two geographic settings - Detroit and Bogotá - with different experiences and perspectives on conflict and post-conflict resolution.

American students will analyze the recent evolution of Colombia's armed conflict, as well as the various peace processes and peace building experiences associated with it; the Colombian peace accords process; and the reintegration of former fighters under conditions of democracy and justice.

Colombian students will learn about Detroit's history of civic conflict resolution, civil rights, and immigrant integration in the community; inter-ethnic challenges and successes; and problems of crime, violence and justice that are intertwined with the unique economic conditions of the city.

Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for educational outreach and international programs, is enthusiastic about what Wayne State will be able to offer students beginning in 2018.

"The goal of this grant competition is to create opportunities that will benefit students who, traditionally, have been underrepresented in international exchange programs," Ezzeddine says. "While we offer many study abroad and exchange programs at Wayne State, this is our first exchange in Colombia. It is important for our students to have more opportunities to go abroad, and it is exciting for us to be able to expand to programming in South America, and particularly Colombia. Like Detroit, Colombia's cities are undergoing major economic and social transformations, and this presents great comparative learning opportunities for WSU and UE students."

The grant competition was sponsored by MetLife Foundation through the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund, a public-private sector collaboration among the U.S. Department of State, Partners of the Americas, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, corporations, foundations, regional governments, and embassies working together to inspire U.S. universities and colleges to team up with universities and technical education institutions in the western hemisphere to create new student exchange and training programs.

The Office of International Programs leads Wayne State's global engagement by creating opportunities that foster international education and research, facilitate the exchange of individuals and ideas that promote global competencies and citizenship, and provide resources that support the expansion of the university's global agenda. Follow us on Twitter @WayneOIP.