Many development projects fail to improve the lives of people in the developing world. Despite the good intentions of the project designers, many of these projects cause more problems than they solve. Straightforward water projects are implemented and fail to provide water; innovative technology is quickly abandoned; and large development projects which cost hundreds of millions of dollars leave the beneficiaries worse off than before. It is important to learn how to design and implement effective and sustainable projects that incorporate the needs of the beneficiaries.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a major topic in developing countries. While traditionally seen as only a private sector activity, CSR is very much influenced by politics and regulation in Africa. The mineral mining industry provides a clear example because of the negative social and environmental externalities associated with operations. This presentation will look at field work conducted in South Africa and Botswana in 2014, which investigated the relationship between CSR and the State in the diamond mining industry.

Model United Nations provides students the opportunity to learn about and discuss today's most relevant issues of international diplomacy through participation in an academic simulation.

Over the course of the week, Pitt campus will be alive with international activities, global events and the buzz of the International Week Contest, which will grant 1 free Summer 2015 Study Abroad Panther Program (tuition scholarship) to a country of your choice, a Sony NEX-F3 camera, or an apple ipad. For a full list of events, please review the International Week Website to learn more about how to add an international focus to your academic experience.

Please join us for our event during International Week! We will be serving food from each of the five regions of Africa. There will also be music and pictures so we can have fun and educate ourselves at the same time!

Join us this Thursday for Ethiopian coffee and an informal discussion on sustainable sanitary napkins for Ethiopian women. Allison Karnes will be talking about her initiative with WRAPS: Washable, Reusable, Affordable, Pads. In many parts of rural Ethiopia, girls do not have access to sanitary napkins; consequently, they often miss one week of school during their menstrual cycle. Come and learn from Allison’s entrepreneurial experience!

Interested in global issues? Join us for an Alumni & Professionals Panel on Careers in International Law. Discover career opportunities for all fields of study and network with alumni and professionals working globally. Our diverse panel will discuss a variety of career options and share insights about how to make yourself more competitive in the job market.

Dr. Mark Karnes was drawn back to Africa— the continent where he spent five years fresh out of medical school—after retiring from a 25-year OB/GYN career in Michigan. He now lives and works in Ethiopia. He will talk about life as a doctor in rural Ethiopia, the chasm of health issues faced by women in Africa compared to America, and the struggles and joys he and his wife face living cross-culturally. Discussion and questions will follow.

This one credit mini-course is part of a series organized by regions around the world based on their role on the world stage, their importance within the Muslim world, and the critical influence they play in the global community. The series and course seeks to illuminate the various perspectives of the Muslim community around the world.

Dr. French will discuss the relationship between China and Africa in a way that will help us understand the encounter between these two parts of the world. Having worked as an international diplomat and travelled extensively in Africa and China, he will tap into his wealth of experience as he shares the conversations Africans are having about China’s role in their communities and also the conversations the Chinese are having about their involvement in Africa. The question in many people’s minds is “Are the Chinese helping to bring about development that will change lives in Africa?”