UHV President Appointed Honorary Chairman for “Caminos Hacia el Futuro” at Universidad Internacional
The project is an outgrowth of the American Council on Education (ACE). One of its missions is to ensure that universities worldwide are engaged in preparing graduates for today's interdependent global marketplace.
In the announcement of the appointment, Javier Espinosa, founder and rector of Universidad Internacional said, "I know of no college president in this hemisphere better prepared than Tim Hudson to move higher education toward the goals of genuinely comprehensive international education as espoused by ACE. His work over the past quarter century on behalf of international programs, study abroad opportunities for students from all walks of life, and faculty development in Mexico and beyond is well known and much admired."
Hudson's appointment as honorary chairman comes on the heels of his service as the sole U.S. representative on a major European commission focused on the future of higher education, which convened in Spain in early June. In addition, he is a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities international committee and serves on the board of the Texas International Education Consortium.
Before entering academia, Hudson worked at the U.S. Department of State, specializing in Latin America.
"I'm honored and thrilled that Rector Espinosa asked me to be involved in this project, especially considering that UI has linkages and exchanges with hundreds of universities in the United States and elsewhere and thus access to a considerable pool of talent." said Hudson. "I think this speaks highly of what we are developing at UHV and within the UH System in terms of our international profile."
According to Espinosa, the "Caminos" project will consist of a strategic visioning and planning process and result in curricular and programmatic initiatives designed to ensure that international education becomes a mainstream aspect of higher education in Mexico.
“We want to adopt those strategies and programs which will ensure that Unversidad Internacional students are also well prepared for participation in the global economy,” said Espinosa.
Hudson added, "The ideal would be to develop a model that can be emulated and can make a difference for generations of future students."
Hudson's recognition and participation in this international project has also been greeted with high spirits here in the United States. Jerald Strickland, University of Houston assistant vice chancellor for international studies and programs, expressed his enthusiasm for Hudson’s international educational endeavor.
“President Hudson represents the best of the international education talent within the UH System, and we are extremely pleased that he has been selected as the Honorary Chairman,” said Strickland. “We know he will serve well the global education interests of the related universities.”
Among other international initiatives, UHV has developed study abroad opportunities in Mexico and is leading a consortium of U.S. universities in the development of a semester-long program in Granada, Spain. That program will target students who would not normally be able to study overseas due to either financial challenges or curricular restrictions in certain fields such as nursing and education.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
