News and Events

Global Centre unveils new director

30 May 2008

Learning and Teaching head is appointed Director of the new Centre for Global Perspectives.

Chris Shiel, formerly Head of Learning and Teaching at the Business School, has been appointed to lead the University’s new Centre for Global Perspectives.

It will be her task to familiarise BU staff and students with global issues and processes, enabling them to appreciate the need for sustainable development and work effectively across cultures and in contexts of diversity.

Chris will oversee the implementation of new global perspectives into our curriculum and enhance global awareness among our staff and students.

She is currently developing cross-cultural learning opportunities for students, increasing employment prospects regionally, nationally and internationally, as well as carrying out significant international research with our academics.

Chris said: “I look forward to building on our international reputation. Together with our external partners we will strive to ensure BU is developing our students’ global potential, and at the forefront of groundbreaking international research.”

Chris has led our global perspectives agenda since 1999 and in 2005 won a Higher Education Leadership Foundation for her work in this sector. She has led staff development in a number of institutions in relation to global perspectives and sustainable development and is an Advisory Board member of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Centre, University of Ulster and the Development Education Research Centre at the University of London.

Professor Paul Curran, Vice-Chancellor says: “We are delighted that Chris will be leading the new Centre. She is highly respected in the global perspectives field and has wide knowledge of developing international partnerships.”