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This newsletter update contains Global Education and NCDPI reminders. As always, we encourage those of you who receive the updates to please share this issue with others who are not currently subscribed to our listserv. To receive Global Education and other NCDPI Updates, please sign up using the link NC Global Education Listerv Update and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
 What is International Education Week?
International Education Week (IEW) began in 2000 as a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, celebrating the benefits of education and cultural exchange around the world. In North Carolina, IEW is championed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and its Global Education Steering Committee. Together, they highlight and support the work of educators who foster global competence, cultural understanding, and civic responsibility in classrooms across our state.
Why We Celebrate International Education Week
International Education Week (IEW) is an opportunity for schools to highlight global learning in ways that are respectful, enriching, and culturally authentic.
In North Carolina, IEW offers educators and students the chance to:
- Demonstrate global engagement, awareness, and responsiveness
- Expand interest in global issues and cross-cultural learning
- Gain new perspectives on cultures from around the world
- Learn about global education resources, recognitions, policies, and opportunities available through NCDPI
The goal is not only to build students’ global knowledge, but also to strengthen their empathy, compassion, and understanding of diverse cultures and global issues. By focusing on meaningful learning experiences, such as inquiry, global perspectives, dialogue, and real-world connections, educators help students develop the global mindsets and durable skills needed to thrive in an interconnected world.
What to Expect During International Education Week 2025
IEW 2025 will engage students and educators through a mix of professional learning, statewide celebrations, and classroom-based global experiences.
IEW Professional Development Day
- In partnership with the UNC–Chapel Hill and Duke University Area Studies Centers, the 2025 PD Day on November 15 will explore the theme:
“Shaping the Future: Climate, Science, and Social Movements in a Changing World.”
Educators will participate in sessions that include expert speakers, interdisciplinary connections, and globally informed strategies aligned to North Carolina’s global competencies.
Register and learn more about the 2025 IEW PD Day on November 15 below.
Sharing Global Education Resources and Instructional Strategies
- Throughout IEW, NCDPI will share a curated collection of global education resources, instructional strategies, classroom tools, and content to help educators integrate global competence across grade levels and subject areas. These resources will support authentic engagement with global topics while enhancing students’ cultural understanding, critical thinking, and inquiry skills.
Celebrating Global Education Recognitions
- Throughout the week, NCDPI will spotlight:
- Global Educator Digital Badge earners
- Global Ready Schools and Districts
- Global programs, partnerships, and initiatives statewide
These recognitions honor the educators, schools, and districts leading the way in developing globally engaged and culturally competent school communities.
IEW Student & Educator Showcase
- Students and educators will also be featured in the 2025 IEW Student & Educator Showcase, highlighting global awareness, cultural understanding, global competency, and character education across creative and academic submissions. Approved entries will appear during IEW to amplify the awesome global learning taking place in North Carolina classrooms.
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Reminder: International Education Week Professional Development
It's not too late to register to attend!
Date: Friday, November 15, 2025
Location: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill- Howell Hall
Audience: This workshop is for ALL K-12 educators, regardless of content area or grade level.
Theme: “Shaping the Future: Climate, Science, and Social Movements in a Changing World”
As a part of International Education Week, the Global Education Steering Committee and Area Studies Centers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University have partnered professional learning opportunities and resources that expand educators’ knowledge of global issues and enhance classroom instruction- all of which reinforces North Carolina’s Global Education policies and recognitions, including the Global Educator Digital Badge and the Global Ready School and District Designations.
Bonus: Attendees will also receive two free tickets to the Southern Skies presentation celebrating Indigenous Latin American astronomy at UNC-Chapel Hill Moorehead Planetarium!
Earn 5 PD hours by attending this in-person workshop!
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Summary of What You Will Be Able to Experience at the 2025 IEW PD
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Explore global climate, science, and social movements through case studies from regions such as Ukraine, Morocco, Latin America, Africa, and South Asia.
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Examine how culture, civic participation, and creativity intersect during times of change, including how communities respond to environmental and political challenges.
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Learn how countries are addressing energy and sustainability, such as Morocco’s transition toward solar and renewable energy as a path to sovereignty and independence.
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Experience Southern Skies / Cielos del Sur, highlighting
Latin American Indigenous astronomy and cosmology, and how these perspectives enrich planetary science and social studies.
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Gain strategies and classroom-ready examples to move beyond single stories and stereotypes, especially related to African nations and communities.
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Connect global case studies to NC standards in social studies and Earth/environmental science.
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Reflect on classroom implementation, identifying concrete ways to integrate these global perspectives, resources, and stories into teaching practice.
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Connect with us during International Education Week
and throughout the year!
The NC Global Education Steering Committee is excited to announce that we are now on Instagram and Facebook!
Follow us to stay inspired and informed about International Education Week and all things Global Education-related by following us on:
Together, we can prepare NC students for success in a global society!
Disclaimer Statement
Because North Carolina is a local-control state, all curricular decisions are approved at the local level. Prior to implementing any of the materials, teachers should follow appropriate policies and procedures to have content vetted and approved by their school and district leaders.
The links on this resource could bring you to third-party websites, owned and operated by independent parties over which NCDPI has no control. Any link you make to or from these 3rd Party Websites will be at your own risk. Any use of these 3rd Party Websites and any information you provide will be subject to and governed by the terms of the 3rd Party Website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy, and security.
Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing, NCDPI is not in any way associated with the owner or operator of any of the 3rd Party Websites or responsible or liable for the goods and services offered by them or for anything in connection with such 3rd Party Websites. NCDPI does not endorse and makes no warranties, representations, or undertakings relating to the content of any 3rd Party Website.
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