Philip Wainwright has been appointed vice provost of international affairs and director of the Halle Institute for Global Learning.
Wainwright assumed the position on March 1, replacing Holli Semetko as vice provost through an internal search process that took place in the fall.
Prior to the appointment, he was the associate dean for the Office of International and Summer Programs (OISP) in the College.
Claire Sterk, Emory's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said one of Wainwright's primary new duties is leading an effort to develop a global strategy for Emory. In addition, Sterk said Wainwright would finalize an optimal structure for the various offices that he oversees as well as create a governing council consisting of faculty representatives and key administrative leaders.
Wainwright indicated that as vice provost, his plans for Emory's future would focus on Emory's international engagement. He said that while Emory is internationally engaged in numerous ways, its increasing worldwide involvement requires a new agenda and a change in priorities.
"In upcoming months, I'll be articulating a vision of where Emory wants to be five to 10 years in the future and coming up with a plan to get us there," Wainwright said.
Wainwright said that internationalization was one of the framing principles of this strategic plan. He said that this involved evaluating Emory's current global position as well as where and how it should be engaged internationally.
In this strategic planning process, however, Wainwright said that identifying Emory University's strengths and weaknesses in terms of international engagement would be a challenge.
"It's going to require putting into place infrastructure and a strategy that supports [internationalization]," Wainwright said. "There are all kinds of ways that Emory is connected internationally but articulating a central message around how Emory uses that engagement as an institution will be a challenge."
Although Wainwright has worked closely in enhancing Emory's role in the international community, he said his new appointment requires him to have a broader view of internationalization at the University.
Wainwright, who is an Emory alum, returned to Emory in 1996 to work with the then-newly formed Center for International Programs Abroad (CIPA).
Wainwright said he was involved in CIPA program's early growth and developed several programs that are still implemented.
OISP, such as the Academics and Culture at Emory (ACE) program for international students and the MD Summer Experience at Emory (MD-SEE) program.
In an announcement to the Emory faculty, Sterk expressed optimism about Wainwright's recent appointment.
She cited his experience with Emory's engagement with the international sphere.
"I am confident that he and his team will ensure that our faculty and students realize the transformative power of international experiences in teaching, learning and research," Sterk wrote. "He understands the depth and scope of the University's engagement in countries around the world."
– By Harmeet Kaur
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