Study abroad through Intercultural Affairs

Intercultural Affairs offers a variety of global community opportunities that immerse ECU community members in diverse environments. These programs address a range of social and cultural issues through the exchange of ideas, personal reflection, critical thinking, and academic concepts beyond the classroom. What’s more, these opportunities challenge all participants to critically reflect upon their role in the world and their ability to make lasting change. For summer 2022, we will offer two short-term study abroad programs — one in Northern Ireland and one in Bolivia — with the ability for students to earn up to 6 course credits. See below for more details and a link to apply!

Peacebuilding and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland | May 14 – June 4, 2022

After decades of violent political conflict, Belfast is now a city transformed. This course allows students to explore peacebuilding and reconciliation within the city of Belfast and various locations throughout Northern Ireland. Students will spend time in local communities, hearing first-hand accounts of the history, faith and culture of this beautiful but wounded land. There are opportunities for intercultural learning throughout and students will hear personal accounts from leading peacebuilders, including local historians, politicians, church, police and community leaders, journalists, artists and musicians. Students will explore concepts of truth, mercy and forgiveness in relation to reconciliation, whilst discovering the challenges that remain as Northern Ireland continues to grapple with its troubled past. 6 credit hours will be earned during this experience.

The pioneering reconciliation work of the Inter Church Youth Link: NI will form the basis of an in-depth case study and there will also be an opportunity to visit the world renowned Corrymeela Community on the beautiful North Coast. Students will not only be required to engage in the local community through service learning (ECU CLCE, Amizade, and YouthWorks) and to develop understanding of the local government, politics, culture, language, history, and artistic characteristics of Northern Ireland, but will also be required to reflect on the areas of divisiveness in their own communities and contexts and seek opportunities for peacebuilding and points for reconciliation.

Racism, Colonialism, and Science in Bolivia | June 22 – July 13, 2022

The “City of Eternal Spring,” vibrant and sprawling across a valley in the Andes, full of cuisines to sample and causes to support. A growing, modern city—home to thousands of indigenous people. Cochabamba, Bolivia makes an impression that will not soon be forgotten.

This three week community-based study abroad experience will be divided into two 3 credit courses. In one part, STEM/Chemistry students will take a reading intensive course on science and feminism where they will be introduced to the social/political implications of STEM in society. The other 3 credit course will be conducted by our partner organization, Amizade, which will create opportunities for students to work with local communities to learn the firsthand effects of the history of colonization in the Bolivian society.

For more than 20 years, university students connected with Amizade have traveled to Cochabamba and returned transformed. As the fourth largest city in Bolivia, Cochabamba has a history of mobilization against corruption and a strong network of grassroots organizations working tirelessly to address a range of pressing issues. This wealth of activism combined with decades of service-learning programs makes Cochabamba a wonderful place to learn, serve and grow.

This program will be conducted in English and will be cross listed across graduate and undergraduate levels. Undergraduate students with Chemistry as their declared major and all ECU STEM graduate students will be eligible to take part in this program. Additionally, students from the local community colleges, UNCW, and UNCG students are also eligible to apply contingent to the fact that the program is not filled by ECU students.