Overview:

This supports faculty hosting visiting global speakers on campus in connection with UNT courses and curriculum.

The purpose is for the visiting global speaker(s) to share their global expertise and enhance the global perspectives of UNT students. The visiting global speaker must engage with UNT students, such as by: providing guest lectures in UNT classes, conducting workshops or trainings, offering masterclasses, or engaging in similar activities. The global speaker must offer unique global expertise and international insights about the academic discipline that enhances the curriculum of the UNT course(s). The global speaker may be an academic or non-academic professional based in the U.S. or a country outside of the U.S.

Preference will be given to applications that demonstrate how a substantial number of UNT students will have access to and benefit from the expertise of the global speaker.

Award Information:

  • Maximum Award Amount: $3,000
  • Allowable Expenses: (a) airfare, (b) accommodations, (c) meals, and (d) local ground transportation for the global speaker to visit UNT for approximately 5 days
  • Applicants are strongly encouraged to request cost-share from their college and/or department. Preference will be given to applications that demonstrate college and/or department cost-share and/or other funding sources.
  • The number of awards, award amounts, and use of funds is at the discretion of the Vice Provost for International Affairs.
  • This is supported by the Charn Uswachoke International Development Fund (Charn Fund), a generous endowment from UNT alumnus Charn Uswachoke, to contribute to international impact in UNT’s classrooms through curriculum innovation and prepare internationally competent UNT graduates.
  • The Charn Fund does not support the following use of award funds:
    • Salaries or operating expenses for personnel, projects, or offices
    • Student-related expenses, such as wages, stipends, travel support, scholarships, etc.
    • Travel of individuals from countries on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s foreign adversaries list or travel to designated countries in Executive Order GA-48, including: China, Hong Kong, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, and Russia
  • All project expenditures must be reconciled before the end of the project period (Fall Awards: August 10, 2027 and Spring Awards: December 31, 2027). Any remaining funds will not carry forward beyond the project period. In the event the project cannot be started/completed during the project period due to any circumstances, project funds will not carry forward and you must inform Dr. Amanda Bennett.

Eligibility:

  • UNT tenured faculty, tenure-track faculty, and professional faculty with approval from their dean and department chair.
  • Preference will be given to faculty who did not receive funding from International Affairs during the 2025-2026 academic year.
  • Individuals are not allowed to submit more than one application for funding from International Affairs during a given application cycle.

Project Period:

  • Fall 2026 Awards: Spring and Summer 2027
  • Spring 2027 Awards: Summer and Fall 2027

Application Information:

Review Criteria:

Applications are reviewed by a UNT committee of faculty and staff. The following criteria are used when evaluating applications:

  • Enhances the global competency of UNT students
  • Contributes to comprehensive internationalization in UNT’s classrooms and curriculum
  • Impacts a substantial number of UNT students within a specific academic discipline or across academic disciplines
  • Demonstrates curriculum innovations
  • Demonstrate how a substantial number of UNT students will have access to and benefit from the visit of the global speaker

Preference will be given to applications that:

  • Demonstrate a reasonable budget request based on the proposed activities
  • Include college and/or department cost-share or other funding sources
  • Involve faculty who did not receive funding from International Affairs during the 2025-2026 academic year