Academics

About OITA

Office Aims, Scope and Mission

OITA Mission

To facilitate UMass Boston’s processes of strategically integrating the dimensions of international (global), transnational (borderless), trans-cultural, intercultural, and national trends and policies into the curriculum, teaching, research, community engagement, and service functions of the university.

Aims 

  • To promote involvement of all students in significant international educational experiences in the context of global-urban communities;
  • To create and maintain a stimulating and supportive academic and cultural environment for and with students and scholars;
  • To support transnational academic curricula that are trans-disciplinary and trans-collegiate;
  • To promote and enhance faculty’s teaching, research, and multiple forms of scholarship activities pertaining to global-urban matters, and their engagement permeate transdisciplinary approaches; and
  • To ensure efficient and coherent coordination for campus-wide transcultural academic affairs. 

Scope

The office provides services in the four main areas to facilitate the university’s internationalization:

  • Services for international students and scholars as well as study abroad and exchange programs;
  • Services for developing  transnational service learning curricula in global-urban contexts for both undergraduate and graduate students;
  • Services for faculty’s transnational and transdisciplinary professional development in their scholarship of teaching, research, and community engagement; and
  • Services for developing transnational and transdisciplinary curriculum and degree program development.

OITA organizational chart