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Darla K. Deardorff, an internationally recognized expert in intercultural competence and global education, will be among the speakers at the upcoming Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) Thematic Forum being held at Lehigh University next month.

The event, which will be held on April 8 and 9, will explore the powerful role of coaching in advancing intercultural learning and global education. Deardorff will be a panelist on a discussion about “Critical Intercultural Learning Processes and Outcomes.”

Deardorff is the chairholder of the UNESCO Chair of Intercultural Competences at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and a research fellow at Duke University. She has extensive experience in research, teaching, consulting, and leadership across universities, organizations, and multinational initiatives.

“Intercultural competence is needed now more than ever in bridging divides and in embracing our shared humanity and I'm thrilled that this AIEA Thematic Forum will be addressing such essential topics as coaching and critical intercultural learning,” Deardorff said.

Pre-registration for the AIEA Thematic Forum is required. Visit here to register.

AIEA is the nation’s only association dedicated exclusively to senior leaders in the field of international education. The AIEA Thematic Forums provide opportunities for international education leaders from around the country to meet and engage with salient issues for those leading internationalization.˜

The Lehigh event will take a deep dive into how coaching can further our commitments to intercultural learning, offering higher education professionals an opportunity to explore innovative approaches to supporting students and staff in an increasingly diverse and complex world.

“This forum is highly relevant for individuals leading internationalization who are committed to making global learning an opportunity for students to develop in service of themselves, others, and the world,” said Cheryl Matherly, Vice President and Vice Provost for International Affairs at Lehigh’s Office of International Affairs (OIA).

In addition to Deardorff and Matherly, other speakers for the AIEA Thematic Forum will include:

• Christopher Glass, Professor of the Practice in the Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education at Boston College

• Miriam Meima, Founder & Executive Coach of Every Day Leader    

• Lesley Robinson, Co-Founder & Director of Education at Ayana

• Angelina Rodríguez, Assistant Vice Provost for Global Learning at Lehigh; Teaching Associate Professor, College of Health

• Dawn Whitehead, President of the Office of Global Citizenship for Campus, Community & Careers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)    

Prior to her current role,  Deardorff served 19 years as Executive Director/CEO of the AIEA. She is also the Founding President of the World Council on Intercultural and Global Competence, a nonprofit partner to the UNESCO Chair.

Deardorff has worked in the international education field for over thirty years & previously held positions at North Carolina State University & the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill where she has had experience in study abroad, international student services, cultural programming, & ESL teaching/teacher training.

She has lived, taught & worked in Germany, Japan, South Africa, & Switzerland. In addition, she has had two Fulbrights: one to South Africa and one to Japan. She has published widely, including 80+ articles and book chapters, as well as 14 books starting with The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence (Sage, 2009).

Deardorff 's faculty experience includes Harvard University's Future of Learning Institute, Harvard's Global Education Think Tank, the Summer Institute of Intercultural Communication, Shanghai International Studies University (China), Nelson Mandela University (S. Africa) & Meiji University (Japan) as well as Middlebury Institute of International Studies.