The 2026 Global Learning Conference brought students together to explore what it means to become compassionate global leaders through inspiring presentations, networking, and hands-on learning. From healthcare equity to study abroad preparation, attendees gained valuable insights, built meaningful connections, and discovered new ways to make an impact in an increasingly interconnected world.
View students’ final projects from the first-year seminar Demystifying and Unlocking the Beauty of Chinese Characters in the UC Davis International Center lobby through September 2026.
Supporting students from across the globe, Global Affairs’ Summer Start program offers early academic preparation, community building, and mentorship to incoming international undergraduate students. Embarking on this unique opportunity, third-year undergraduates Manasa (Mana) Rajnath and Yian (Patrick) Liao participated in the program from August through early September of 2023. Over six weeks of interactive activities, the pair made unforgettable memories with their cohort and learned valuable academic and professional skills. These experiences supported their transition into university life by combining in-class learning and real-world exploration.
UC Davis Professor Pam Ronald has received the Universitas 21 Award – Climate Action, honoring her work helping address one of the defining challenges of our time: food security in the face of climate change.
Starting college is already a big leap—but imagine doing it abroad in Italy. Through the University of California Education Abroad Program Global Start program, two first-year University of California, Davis students traded classrooms for the vibrant streets of Syracuse, gaining independence, cultural insight, and unforgettable experiences along the way. Their journey shows how stepping outside your comfort zone can transform not just your education, but who you become.
From never leaving the country to studying human rights in Chile and conducting fieldwork in Rwanda, Chely Saens transformed her UC Davis experience into a global journey of purpose. Through study abroad and hands-on work with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, she discovered how education, sustainability, and policy intersect across cultures. Read how her travels are shaping a future in data analytics—and beyond.
A program offered by Global Affairs helps instructors “globalize” their courses through activities that demonstrate the interconnectedness of the world; identifying global learning outcomes for their courses; and develop student activities, assignments and projects to support those outcomes.
Matthew Maciosek is a fourth-year biological systems and engineering major and a geographic information systems (GIS) minor at UC Davis, where his research focuses on water use in farming. His GIS skills were applied internationally in 2024 during a study abroad program in Bhutan.
Four faculty and staff members from UC Davis are being recognized for outstanding global engagement through two campus awards: the Chancellor’s Award for International Engagement and the Excellence in Teaching for Global Learning Award.
Aubrey Vanson, a third-year design major and art history minor, loves all things creative and is deeply passionate about how creative disciplines are essential to her everyday practice. This past summer, Aubrey participated in the study abroad program Design in Japan, working to further explore the ways in which her designs could convey meaning.
One Health and artificial intelligence are at the center of six new projects between University College Dublin and the University of California, Davis.
