UIC Office of Diversity head connects with global education leaders
Charu Thakral, PhD, interim vice chancellor for diversity, equity and engagement at UIC, recently attended and presented at the 12th annual Global Inclusion Conference that was held in Washington, DC from October 29 through November 1. This yearly conference, put on by Diversity Abroad, seeks to gather members of the global education community to tackle the challenges and opportunities diversity, equity and inclusion presents to the field of accessible global education and cultural exchange.
Thakral led a session entitled “Preparing International Students for Local DEI!” that explored how DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) is defined and practiced in various regions and how practitioners can better support incoming students to understand, navigate and contribute to these efforts. The dynamic and varying meanings of DEI across different cultural and geographical contexts necessitates that practitioners are able to equip international and exchange students with the knowledge and skills to navigate local DEI landscapes effectively.
Additionally, Thakral was part of the 2024 Global Inclusion Conference Planning Committee.
“This year, as a member of the conference planning committee, I was impressed to see how much attention there was to emerging issues that we are facing–including the threats and challenges faced by many in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Thakral stated. “I felt very fortunate to be engaged with this organization and conference which creates a community and provides the opportunity to connect with colleagues across institutions of higher education and other settings who are navigating similar challenges in this moment.”