This past month, the Office of Global Learning sponsored Dr. Luis Mejia-Puig, Assistant Professor of Interior Design in the College of Design, Construction and Planning (DCP), to visit three higher education institutions in Colombia: ICESI University, Universidad Autonoma de Occidente, and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali. On his visit, Dr. Mejia-Puig discussed ways to strengthen collaborations through virtual exchange and other programs, in addition to initiating the process to establish a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ICESI University’s School of Technology, Design, and Innovation. Dr. Mejia-Puig identified connections for various DCP departments as well as other academic areas to advance institutional collaborations with the three universities.
In Spring 2023, Dr. Mejia-Puig partnered with faculty from the Department of Design at ICESI University and the College of Architecture, Urbanism and Design at Universidad Autonoma de Occidente to implement a virtual exchange project in their courses. During the project, “An Interactive Restaurant: Where Interaction Goes Beyond Spatial Boundaries,” his students collaborated with their peers abroad in designing a restaurant's interior space that acknowledged the culture of that place. Dr. Luis Mejia-Puig has also developed global learning experiences for his students at the Harn Museum of Art and was the College of Design, Construction, and Planning nominee for the 2022 International Educator of the Year Award. Dr. Mejia-Puig is a past participant in the Global Learning Institute and now returns to the program as a speaker to share about his experiences internationalizing his courses.
For more information about Virtual Exchange click here and for the Global Learning Institute, click here.
