Thursday, March 27th, 2025
Meet and Greet with Fred Kudjo Kuwornu
We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe
Meet and Greet with filmmaker:
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu is an Afro-Italian and U.S. multi-hyphenate socially engaged artist, filmmaker and scholar based in New York. His work bridges past and present, exploring identity and race through historical remixing of archival materials. Kuwornu's films have been exhibited at the 60ᵗʰ Venice Art Biennale (2024), Museum of Moving Image (NY), Library of Congress, and international film festivals. More info: https://www.fredkuwornu.com
Light Refreshments will be served.
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Presenter: Anna Sukhanova
Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.
Front-Line Issues: War, Climate, and Refugees
Presenter: Daniel Briggs, Lauren Herzer Risi
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently predicted that global average temperatures will rise 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels in the mid-2030s. Over the last decades, a global network of scholars, policy makers, activists, and others have organized to offer ways to mitigate and even reverse the effects of climate change. What offramps can these solutions and movements offer our collective humanity?
“Eurasian Environments” seeks to provide some reflections to mark the UN’s 2024 Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. This series will examine social justice and sustainability efforts to address climate change by putting scholars of Eurasia in conversation with their peers specializing on Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The series will comprise six events that will illuminate the challenges and possible solutions to climate change in Eurasia in regional and global contexts.
This event is part of the Eurasian Environments: Climate Justice and Sustainability in Global Context series.
Tavola Italiana
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Wednesday, March 26th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Riley Hesbacher
Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.
Serving Polish Pittsburgh: The Sztark Family, 1930s-1940s
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
In the interwar period, a Polish Consulate served Pittsburgh's sizeable population with Polish roots. The last consul before the Second World War was Heliodor Sztark, who came to Pittsburgh in 1938, together with his wife, Aniela and their younger daughter Nina. All three became active public figures within the Polish community, the city of Pittsburgh, and Pitt. After the war, Heliodor resigned from his post because he did not agree with the new Polish government.
The family settled in Texas, where they started a new life under very difficult conditions. Their older daughter remained in Poland, but stayed in close contact with the US branch of the family.
The talk will focus on the Sztark family's trajectory before, during, and after their stay in Pittsburgh. Based on material from the Pittsburgh Polish newspaper "Pittsburczanin," interviews with descendants, and documents from archives in the US, Poland, and Germany, Professor Jan Musekamp will demonstrate how an East Central European family navigated realities in independent and wartime Poland, and the Cold War United States.
Linkedin and 30-Seconds Elevator Pitch
Location: 4310 Posvar Hall (CUE)
Whether you're a seasoned professional or a Freshman just starting out, having a concise and compelling elevator pitch is essential in today's fast-paced world. An elevator pitch is a brief overview of your background, experience, and goals that you can deliver in the time it might take to ride an elevator - typically 30 seconds or less.
Tuesday, March 25th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Studying Frank Lloyd Wright's Architectural Drawings
Presenter: Cosimo Monteleone
Location: 202 Frick Fine Arts
Frank Lloyd Wright imposed his work to international prominence as a paragon of cutting-edge architecture, becoming a symbol of an entire nation: the United States. In the same way Wright established a new graphic style, an eloquent way to represent architecture that can be considered as an exclusive expression of American culture. This study analyses Wright’s architectural drawings as a specific production that, even if complementary to his better-known design, radiates its own artistic and architectural value.
Cosimo Monteleone is currently an Associate Professor in Representation of Architecture and Descriptive Geometry at the University of Padua (IT). He has been awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh (PA, USA). He is the author of a site-specific anamorphic installation entitled Rainbow at the Museo della Città, Palazzo dei Pio, Carpi (IT). He is a member of international research Visualizing Cities and Digital Bomarzo; indeed, his interest focuses also on digital humanities, stereotomy, geometrical analysis and virtual reconstruction of architecture, digital survey (lidar and photogrammetry), 3D modeling (CAD, BIM), virtual reality and augmented reality, 3D prototyping, file to factory processes, and parametric surfaces for design. He is also author of some books such as Riflessi. Specchi d’anima e d’immagine; Frank Lloyd Wright. Geometria e astrazione nel Guggenheim Museum; La prospettiva di Daniele Barbaro. Note critiche e trascrizione del manoscritto It. IV, 39=5446; Daniele Barbaro’s Perspective of 1568.
Spring 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Chat with Zharia
Are you an international student at Pitt looking to connect, or interested in connecting with international students? Stop by the Nook in the Global Hub on Tuesdays, between 2 and 4 pm during Spring semester, to chat with OIS Outreach Coordinator Zharia White from the Office of International Services!
Friday, March 21st, 2025
Qissa Pitt International Storytelling & Open Mic Night
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
The University Center for International Studies is excited to hold its first annual Qissa (story in Arabic), a celebration of heritage, culture, and personal experiences through storytelling. We invite all Pitt students to share your internationally-focused story using various creative forms and listen to others in this unique performance setting.
Expression and Empowerment in Contemporary German-Speaking Europe: Student Poster Presentations
Location: Alcoa Room (Barco 229)
Following the keynote address, the German students will present their original research that they conducted as part of completing their capstone seminar.
There will be food and light refreshments
Thursday, March 20th, 2025
Expression and Empowerment In Contemporary German-Speaking Europe: Kick-Off/Film Night
Location: Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Film: ELBOW Ellbogen
Film is about a girl named Hazal, who is 17 and lives in Berlin. Her biggest wish is to be given a chance. For her 18th birthday she wants to escape the everyday grind and party with her friends. But a fatal incident changes everything. Hazal is forced to flee.
Asli Ozarslan-Kroenlein
Profession: Writer, Director
Country: Germany
Director ASLI ÖZARSLAN (*1986, Berlin) studied theatre and media at the University of Bayreuth, philosophy at the Université Sorbonne IV in Paris and documentary film directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. INSEL 36 (2014) and her diploma film DIL LEYLA (2016) won numerous awards. With her current debut film project ELLBOGEN she was part of the Torino Film Lab and the mentoring programme Into The Wild.
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Presenter: Anna Sukhanova
Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.
Tavola Italiana
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Wednesday, March 19th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Riley Hesbacher
Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.
Anti/Democracy Mini Symposium
Location: 4303 Posvar Hall (Center for Urban Education)
Join us for a discussion on the growing challenges to democratic ideals in an age of populism, polarization, mis/mal/dis information, and rising authoritarianism. This event will explore the interplay between democratic values and anti-democratic forces, highlighting historical and contemporary movements that both support and erode the democratic project.
Roundtable I: Provocation on Mis/Mal/Dis Information
Roundtable II: Academic Panel
Roundtable III: Provocation on Populism
For more information, visit our website: https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/esc/events/ad-mini-symposium
Registration is required
Tuesday, March 18th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
: Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Spring 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Location: Global HubAttention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, rec
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Meet the Ambassador! Nina Sajic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Nina Sajic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dr. Sajić served as the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to France, UNESCO, Algeria, Monaco, Andorra and Romania. She was also a foreign policy advisor in the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She will be at Pitt to discuss her diplomatic experiences with students and the wider community.
Light lunch will be provided.
Thursday, March 13th, 2025
Feeling (Un)safe: Jews, Muslims and the German State Since October 7
Presenter: Dick Moses, City College of New York
Location: Wesley W. Posvar, Room 4130
As part of the Unmasking Prejudice: Confronting Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Racism Across Europe
Spring Lecture Series:
For about 25 years, a minority security dilemma has been crystalizing in Germany. With increasing Muslim immigration, the state has gradually instituted measures to acculturate this small but growing minority to the official memory culture centered on the Holocaust. It does so in part out a concern with Jewish safety, which is increasingly centered on sensitivities about German support of Israel rather than antisemitic crimes, nearly all of which are committed by Christian Germans. To make Jewish people feel safer, Muslim migrants are made to feel less safe. Conversely, Muslim security is experienced as endangering Jews. Therein lies the dilemma. This development hardened dramatically after October 7. How and why the trilateral relationship between the German state and its two non-Christian minorities issued in a dilemma
rather than reconciliation is the subject of this paper.
About the Speaker:
A. Dirk Moses is the Spitzer Professor of International Relations at the City College of New York. He is author and editor of publications on German history and in Genocide Studies, including Nachdem Genozid: Grundlage für eine neue Erinnerungskultur (2023). His public writings on Germany, Gaza, and Ukraine have appeared in the Geschichte der Gegenwart, the Boston Review, Noema Magazine and Lawfare. He edits the Journal of Genocide Research.
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Presenter: Anna Sukhanova
Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.
To Govern What We Eat
Presenter: Natalia Mamonova, Susanne Wengle
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently predicted that global average temperatures will rise 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels in the mid-2030s. Over the last decades, a global network of scholars, policy makers, activists, and others have organized to offer ways to mitigate and even reverse the effects of climate change. What offramps can these solutions and movements offer our collective humanity?
“Eurasian Environments” seeks to provide some reflections to mark the UN’s 2024 Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. This series will examine social justice and sustainability efforts to address climate change by putting scholars of Eurasia in conversation with their peers specializing on Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The series will comprise six events that will illuminate the challenges and possible solutions to climate change in Eurasia in regional and global contexts.
This event is part of the Eurasian Environments: Climate Justice and Sustainability in Global Context series.
Tavola Italiana
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Wednesday, March 12th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Spring 2025, EXCEPT on January 22, February 5, March 4, and March 5.
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Riley Hesbacher
Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.
The German Club will meet on Wednesdays during Spring 2025, EXCEPT on January 22, February 5, and March 5.
Tuesday, March 11th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
The French Club will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, during Spring 2025, EXCEPT on January 22, February 5, March 4, and March 5.
Women In International Careers
Presenter: Laura Short and Abby Lombardi
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
This event will in theme with International Women's day. We will be inviting speakers specifically in International Development sector to give career advice.
Sike, Deborah Nwachinemere is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Meeting for Women in International Careers
Time: Mar 14, 2025 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://pitt.zoom.us/j/96432914892
Meeting ID: 964 3291 4892
Spring 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Thursday, March 6th, 2025
High School Euro Challenge Competition
Location: Posvar Hall, 4217 & 4130
The Euro Challenge is a competition for high school students on European economic and monetary policy. It gives participants the opportunity to learn about the Euro, the single market, and other important concepts central to the European Union and macro/microeconomics.
The PA regional competition is hosted by the University of Pittsburgh.
Thursday, February 27th, 2025
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Presenter: Anna Sukhanova
Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.
Wednesday, February 26th, 2025
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Riley Hesbacher
Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Slavery, Museums, and Public Engagement
Presenter: Keila Grinberg; Johanna Obenda; Kilolo Luckett; Jason Hank
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
Keila Grinberg, History Professor and Director of the Center for Latin American Studies, University of Pittsburgh (Moderator)
Johanna Obenda, Researcher and Exhibit Development Specialist, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Kilolo Luckett, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Alma | Lewis
Jason Hank, Grade 7-12 Educator, Beaver Area High School
More information on "In Slavery's Wake": https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/in-slaverys-wake
Tuesday, February 25th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Spring 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Monday, February 24th, 2025
Soldiers of Song
Location: Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
February 24, 2025 marks the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Join us for the screening of Soldiers of Song (dir. Ryan Smith). Officially selected at the Tribeca and Warsaw film festivals, this independent documentary film features Ukraine's most iconic musicians as they inspire unity and courage amidst the chaos of war. Matthew Hickey (President, GOSECA), Dean Adriana Helbig (Department of Music), and director Ryan Smith will discuss.
Friday, February 21st, 2025 to Saturday, February 22nd, 2025
25th Annual Undergraduate Model EU
The Undergraduate Model European Union is an annual event that gives students a chance to learn about the workings of the European Union through preparation for and participation in a hands-on two-day simulation of a meeting of the European Council. Model EU enhances students’ understanding of the issues and challenges facing the 27 member nations of the EU. Awards will be given to the most effective delegations and best individual position papers.
Thursday, February 20th, 2025
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Presenter: Anna Sukhanova
Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.
Tavola Italiana
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome! On February 20, students of Italian will meet to watch the Italian music festival San Remo.
Wednesday, February 19th, 2025
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Riley Hesbacher
Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Tuesday, February 18th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Digital Portfolio Information Session
For Students Graduating with a UCIS Certificate
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
Topics covered in this information session include how to creatively design and highlight curricular and co-curricular learning experiences in a professional manner. They will learn how to use Digication, how to add tabs, add photos, papers, research projects etc. and will consider what curricular and co-curricular experiences to include.
Chats with Zharia
Are you an international student at Pitt looking to connect, or interested in connecting with international students? Stop by the Nook in the Global Hub on Tuesdays, between 2 and 4 pm during Spring semester, to chat with OIS Outreach Coordinator Zharia White from the Office of International Services!
Tuesday, February 18th, 2025 to Tuesday, March 18th, 2025
Meet the Ambassador! Nina Sajic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Time: 12:00 am to 1:00 pm
Join us for a lunch and learn event with Nina Sajić.
Dr. Sajić served as the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to France, UNESCO, Algeria, Monaco, Andorra, and Romania. She was also a foreign policy advisor in the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She will be at Pitt to discuss her diplomatic experiences with students and the wider community.
Light lunch will be provided.
Thursday, February 13th, 2025
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Presenter: Anna Sukhanova
Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.
Wednesday, February 12th, 2025
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Riley Hesbacher
Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Tuesday, February 11th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Spring 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Financial Wellness Tabling
Presenter: Janet McLaughlin
Stop by the Global Hub to learn more about financial wellness!
Chats with Zharia
Are you an international student at Pitt looking to connect, or interested in connecting with international students? Stop by the Nook in the Global Hub on Tuesdays, between 2 and 4 pm during Spring semester, to chat with OIS Outreach Coordinator Zharia White from the Office of International Services!
Friday, February 7th, 2025
LCTL Language Coffee House 2025
Time: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Location: William Pitt Union Assembly Room
Take a break from studying and enjoy free drinks and snacks from around the world! Instructors and students from the Less-Commonly-Taught Languages Center (LCTL) and Pitt's many language departments will teach you how to order in Swahili, German, Modern & Ancient Greek, Quechua, Hebrew, Irish, Chinese, Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Polish, and many more of the nearly 30 languages offered at Pitt. Then, you can place your order at the Language Coffeehouse and enjoy free drinks and snacks from around the world.
Thursday, February 6th, 2025
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Presenter: Anna Sukhanova
Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.
Tavola Italiana
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Tuesday, February 4th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Spring 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Chats with Zharia
Are you an international student at Pitt looking to connect, or interested in connecting with international students? Stop by the Nook in the Global Hub on Tuesdays, between 2 and 4 pm during Spring semester, to chat with OIS Outreach Coordinator Zharia White from the Office of International Services!
Financial Wellness Tabling
Presenter: Janet McLaughlin
Stop by the Global Hub to learn more about financial wellness!
Thursday, January 30th, 2025
Global Trivia Night with TRIO SSS
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention, undergraduate students! Interested in studying abroad, learning another language, applying for funding, making friends from around the world, connecting with international opportunities in Pittsburgh, and/or sharpening your career skills in our increasingly interconnected world? Join TRIO SSS and the Global Hub to learn more about the amazing international opportunities available at and through Pitt! Pizza and prizes will be provided, and we can't wait to see you there!
Balkan Class Coffee Workshop
Presenter: Ljiljana Duraskovic
Students from SLAV 18050 Balkan Culture will be learning how to prepare Balkan coffee.
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Presenter: Anna Sukhanova
Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.
Tavola Italiana
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Presenter: Chiara Montera
Mangia con noi! Bring your lunch and chat with us! Pitt students only, all levels welcome!
Wednesday, January 29th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus
German Club at Pitt
Presenter: Riley Hesbacher
Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.
Tuesday, January 28th, 2025
French Conversation Hour
Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!
Teaching English Abroad
Presenter: Stephen Wludarski, Sarah Sellers, and Chinyere Okonkwo
Location: 4130 Posvar Hall
This will be an informative session featuring speakers from various English teaching ventures, including JET, Fulbright, and others. The speakers will share how they developed an interest in teaching English outside the United States and discuss their experiences. We’re expecting a diverse group of attendees, ranging from those just beginning to explore opportunities to those preparing for or already engaged in teaching abroad.
The session will cover various aspects of teaching English in different cultural contexts, including preparing lesson plans, understanding student needs, and navigating life in a foreign country.
Some key topics we hope to address include:
1. Understanding the cultural nuances and challenges of teaching in non-English-speaking countries.
2. Exploring different teaching methods and resources effective in international classrooms.
3. Navigating visas, work permits, and the logistical aspects of teaching abroad.
4. Creating a fulfilling and sustainable career while living in another country.
5. We are also inviting students from regional campuses so they can have the opportunity to learn from this event as well.
Spring 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Presenter: Molly McSweeney
Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!
Beyond the Ballot: Europe's Democratic Journey
Democratic Backsliding and the Rule of Law in Europe
Time: 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: 4217 Posvar Hall
This panel will delve into the issue of democratic backsliding across Europe, with a particular focus on its implications for the European Union. In light of the pivotal elections of 2024, the discussion aims to explore historical contexts and shed light on emerging threats to democratic principles in the region.
Panelists:
Pieter de Wilde, University of Groningen
His research focuses on political conflict over European integration and globalization. He’s principal investigator for the projects Unelected Representatives: The Impact on Liberal Democracy in Europe, Trondheim Analytica and Reconciling Europe with its Citizens through Democracy and Rule of Law (RECONNECT). Before joining NTNU, he was a Senior Researcher at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. De Wilde holds a PhD in political science from ARENA, Center for European Studies, University of Oslo.
Michael Blauberger, Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg.
He has been teaching and researching at the University of Salzburg since 2011. He studied Political Science, Public International Law and Economics at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and University of Paris I. He wrote his doctoral thesis on European state aid control at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne, and the University of Bremen. His publications appeared in peer reviewed journals such as the Journal of Common Market Studies, Journal of European Public Policy, West European Politics, Regulation & Governance, Research & Politics, Politische Vierteljahresschrift, Zeitschrift für Internationale Beziehungen. Michael Blauberger is editorial board member of the Journal of European Public Policy and coordinator of the docfunds doctoral college “Challenges of European Integration”. In his current research, he investigates EU action against democratic backsliding and the protection of mobile workers in the EU’s internal market.
Monday, January 27th, 2025
European Values and the Handling of Conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East
Time: 10:15 pm to 11:15 pm
Location: Zoom Livestream
Join our live stream (Zoom) of this special event by the ValEUs network!
Dr. Nina Sajic (University of Banja Luka) and Dr. Ayhan Kaya (İstanbul Bilgi University) will discuss a specific dimension of European values: the handling of conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
The speakers will elaborate on the role of the EU in these regions, focusing on the question of to what extent the EU lives up to the values it promises in its founding documents.
This ValEUs Panel Discussion is organised as part of Prof. Timm Beichelt’s seminar “Which values/valEUs is the European Union based on?” at European University Viadrina.
The seminar aims to convey insights and perspectives from the global research and education network to Viadrina students and to encourage their input along the network’s central themes and questions through the network’s key initiative of “ValEUs Student Policy Briefs”. The Viadrina is delighted to strengthen its participation in this network initiative through a local partnership with the Europäische Akademie Berlin.
The event is organised in cooperation with the Institute for European Studies of the European University Viadrina (IFES).
Thursday, January 23rd, 2025
Next to Nothing/Tyle Co Nic (Poland)
Climate Response, Hope and Chickens!
Location: Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Avenue
Cost: $9.00- $11.00 (Pitt Students/Faculty/Staff-Free)
2025 European Union Film Festival
Next to Nothing/Tyle Co Nic (Poland), 2024, 93 MIN
Directed by Grzegorz Debowski
Polish language with English subtitles
A group of farmers organized a protest in front of the house of an MP who, contrary to previous promises, voted against their interests. At the same time, the body of one of the local farmers is found. Everyone suspects the leader of the protest, Jarek, even though the deceased was his closest friend. The man begins his own investigation, which leads him to find out the true causes of the deceased's death and, at the same time, verifies the attitudes of people around him.
Pitt Students/Faculty and Staff: Free Admission with a valid Pitt ID
General Admission: $9.00 (Students/Seniors) and $11.00 (Regular)
