The Language and Pedagogy Institute (LPI) program started in 2011 with the goal of providing professional development to international faculty interested in internationalizing their practice, while improving their English language and pedagogical skills. The program was originally offered to faculty from our partner institutions, helping them to identify and understand issues of relevance to teaching and learning in an international context with the goal of integrating English instruction into their courses.
The program presents issues of internationalization and globalization in higher education and the benefits and challenges of using English as an international language to prepare students for success in a globalized world. It also provides opportunities to develop pedagogical strategies that are discipline-specific and that emphasize teaching content, in English. In 2012, an online module was added to enhance the learning experience of participants. It provided up to four weeks of additional instruction prior to participants coming to Chicago. Over the last 9 years, 181 teachers from Mexico, China, Honduras, and Croatia have participated, increasing the number of courses using English as a language of instruction at their respective institutions. LPI also supports the development of extended collaborations among faculty from DePaul and international institutions. By putting our visitors in contact with DePaul faculty from similar disciplines and encouraging them to set up further academic collaborations, global research and teaching opportunities emerged. We are looking forward to celebrating the 10th anniversary of LPI in Summer 2020.