Purpose:

• To encourage and support international dimensions of scholarship and program development by members of the College of Education.

Criteria for proposals:

• Travel for presentations at international conferences in other countries may be supported if a presentation has been officially invited or accepted;
• Travel for specific program development leading to study abroad or other courses that can be offered through the College;
• International travel will also be supported for faculty who have no prior international experience, but who demonstrate the need for support to get started in order to pursue international work;
• Proposals should demonstrate departmental matching fund support, and/or support from other sources;
• Proposals should demonstrate the potential impact on the College and the broader value to our major goals.

Eligibility:

• Full time tenure-track or non-tenure track faculty, and fully admitted graduate students are eligible to apply. There are separate pools of funds for students and faculty.

Proposal Process:

1. The funds are limited, so consideration of proposals will be given based on two deadlines:  October 30 for awards to be made during first semester; and March 15 for awards to be made during the second semester.
   
2. Submit a proposal, of no more than 2 pages, describing:
   • The conference or program for which you want support;
   • The paper or work you will be doing in connection with this initiative;
   • The outcomes you expect and the ways in which your work might have impact on the College goal of internationalization;
   • The overall travel budget involved in your proposed project;
   • The funds you already have committed from your department or other sources;
   • A letter of support from your department chair.
3. Funding will be awarded up to $1,000 per proposal--from faculty, staff, or graduate students—based on documentation of matching support and other factors described in the criteria.

Proposals should be submitted to:

Dr. Letitia Williams
Assistant Director, Office of International Initiatives
3104 Benjamin Building
lwillia7@umd.edu

See testimonials about how '11-'12 Travel Fund recipients used the funds:

Chuchu Li

Melissa Menzer

Ji Hyun Kim

Dr. Jade Wexler