UC Senior International Officers Council (SIO)

The Senior International Officers (SIO) Council advances the University of California’s global vision by bringing together campus leaders who are committed to shaping and furthering the university’s global engagement. The Council facilitates opportunities for faculty, students and staff to engage in solving global challenges, and realizing the UC’s global and international mission at campus and systemwide levels.

The SIO Council’s activities focus on:

  1. Strategic planning for the University’s global and international mission.
  2. Innovative global/international initiatives that span the teaching, research and service mission of the University.
  3. Identification, pursuit and growth of global partnership opportunities, while ensuring principles of equity, diversity and inclusion.
  4. Guiding the University’s approach and policies for international activities, including compliance with pertinent regulations.

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Planning

  • Lead strategic planning efforts that expand the reach of the UC and campuses as global institutions.
    • SIOs work with key campus leaders to expand their campus and UC’s reach as a global university. This is done by working closely with the campus Provost and Chancellor as part of campus long-range development and Strategic Plans.
  • Stimulate and facilitate collaborative research and international partnerships across the UC system, to address global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and water-energy-food innovations, among many others.
    • SIOs stimulate strategic collaborative and translational research to address global challenges and social and economic inequities in order to generate impactful policies and practices.
  • Track and advise on emerging global issues.
    • SIOs are apprised of global concerns affecting higher education via a variety of governmental and non-governments sources, such as the US State Department, international organizations, partner institutions, and local international communities. This engagement gives SIOs essential means to inform and provide guidance to their campuses and the University.
  • Manage relevant data for the University’s global and international activities.
    • SIOs compile and manage data that document UC’s international activities such as study-abroad, international students, international collaborations, foreign delegations, etc., to inform strategies and decisions on the university’s global engagement.

Initiatives

  • Develop and promote system-wide and/or campus-based global and international research opportunities and initiatives
    • SIOs collaborate with campus leaders, such as Vice Chancellors for Research, to develop and promote strategic research initiatives like Sustainable Development Goals and Grand Challenges.
  • Diversify global/international education with inclusion initiatives to provide greater access to study and research opportunities for low-income and underrepresented students.
    • In collaboration with diversity offices and student support units, such as advising, financial aid and undergraduate research, SIOs identify student needs and work to reconcile these with financially viable and academically, professionally and personally meaningful programs.
  • Initiate and sustain new education experiences.
    • In partnership with faculty and other stakeholders, SIOs promote global learning opportunities domestically and internationally, such as study abroad, global internships, graduate student opportunities, curriculum on global/international issues, experiential learning, pre-college programs, and many more.
  • Coordinate with UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) to support system-wide undergraduate education abroad that aligns with campus strategic needs and interest areas.
    • SIOs advise UCEAP on programmatic development and partnership with campuses such as Global Start.

Partnership

  • Identify UC and campus priorities in international partnerships and collaboration.
    • SIOs advise the UC President and campus Chancellors and senior leaders on prioritizing world regions and foreign institutions for strategic partnerships.
  • Represent campuses and the UC in international/global organizations.
    • Many SIOs are leaders in organizations of international education, e.g., Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), as well as international consortia of leading universities, e.g., Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU).
  • Create opportunities for campus and UC leadership to expand their global outreach strategies.
    • SIOs create global outreach opportunities for Chancellors/Provosts, such as giving keynotes and serving on distinguished panels in international higher education forums, and advice UCOP on these opportunities for the UC President.
  • Welcome and support international delegations, visitors and students/faculty/staff.
    • SIOs are usually the first point of contact for international dignitaries and visitors to campuses, supporting the University's international diplomacy and fostering international relationships. On several campuses, SIO offices are the focal unit for international student recruitment and supporting and engaging with international students, faculty and staff.
  • Provide assistance to threatened and displaced scholars.
    • Several UC campuses work with Institute of International Education (IIE) Scholar Rescue Fund and Scholars at Risk, to assist academics who are threatened or displaced and need space to continue their scholarly work in a safe environment.
  • Connect the world to University and campus stakeholders and local communities.
    • Some SIOs oversee centers and programs that are awarded Title VI and other grants, as well as philanthropic gifts, that support the university’s engagement with local communities such as K-12 teachers and diasporic groups.
  • Collaborate with External Affairs to promote international alumni and donor engagement.
    • SIOs actively connect with alumni and donors who live abroad, and advise campus and UC alumni affairs offices and development offices on international engagement with alumni and donors.

Approaches and Policies

  • Offer guidance to the University and campuses on international issues, for example, the impact of international conflicts on international students and students with diverse cultural heritages.
    • SIOs are experts on world regions and global issues and understand how international conflicts affect students, especially international, and they are well positioned to advise on how best to manage related concerns thoughtfully and appropriately with full consideration of equity, diversity and inclusion.
  • Collaborate with research, legal, risk, among others, on compliance with relevant federal, state, and international regulations and guidance.
    • This is central to the work of all SIOs, who also actively shape systemwide conversations on compliance, export control, and related topics.
  • Develop and shape policies on international activities at systemwide and campus levels.
    • SIOs guide the development and revisions of policies on international activities, including advising on revision of International Academic Agreements on campus and of the UC’s International Activities Policy.