The Global Conversations (GCs) initiative, a staple of DePaul University’s Curriculum Internationalization portfolio continues to be a brave and powerful space for DePaul students and their peers from all over the globe to connect to each other virtually and to learn from each other. Global Conversations sessions are 90-minute lively Zoom synchronous sessions in which students from several international partner institutions interact in a guided, facilitated manner on a list of interdisciplinary, global topics. Since May 2020, the Global Conversations series have engaged over 4,400 students from every habitable continent.
2025 marked the 9th round of GCs, with a record breaking 750 student participants who logged into Zoom from April 28 to May 8 to dialogue about topics such as multilingualism and social justice, what it means to be global citizens, and entrepreneurial ideas for sustainable development, to name a few. Some students attended multiple conversations and one shared, "Overall, the conversation was very informative and a good reminder that my experience is not everyone’s experience. It was eye-opening to see how those who are not utilizing electricity and other clean energy sources were excited about the basics a person deserves, like cleaner air."
Another student attested, “I decided to join this conversation because the topic is highly relevant today. The war in Ukraine is something we often see in the news, but sometimes in a distant and impersonal way. For me, it was an opportunity to connect more closely and humanely with this reality, listening to real stories and reflecting on the emotional and psychological impact on people living through the conflict. I also wanted to learn more about how Ukrainian communities are being supported during this difficult time.”
Finally, when asked what a student will remember most, one wrote, “It is how deeply culture shapes leadership styles and communication approaches across the globe. I was particularly struck by the idea that even within a shared language, communication barriers can persist due to cultural context. This emphasized the importance of cultural sensitivity and adaptability in any global or multicultural setting.”
We are excited to see the momentum continue to build for this special annual opportunity to talk to students all over the world and hope that even more students will participate in Round 10 in spring 2026.
To learn more, please visit http://go.depaul.edu/globalconversations.