April 1, 2016

Our recent podcasts have focused primarily on local and regional efforts, such as innovative education and civic engagement initiatives. As a true urban University, Drexel is an active participant in building the future of Philadelphia. We are proud to be spearheading such bold efforts as Schuylkill Yards, a brand new 14 acre mixed use development, in partnership with Brandywine Realty Trust, creating a new gateway to our city for those arriving at 30th Street Station.

But as fast as things are moving here, it's happening much faster in other parts of the world. The pace of building, growth, and development in Asia, particularly China, has been astonishing. Entire cities have been made and others remade in an incredibly short period of time. Manufacturing is centered now in China, not because of cheap labor rates, but because they have built enormous capacity and industrial engineering expertise. You can make huge quantities of almost anything you can design and find willing partners in Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Guangzhou.

Of course, we are ever more a global information society, as well, and new knowledge and ideas travel incredibly quickly. As academic researchers, we aim to share our work broadly and globally and often travel to conferences and collaborate with other colleagues overseas. This process is standard for academic researchers and has been proven to be incredibly effective at disseminating new ideas and knowledge, and it’s a strong rationale for Drexel to be committed to global engagement.

But a University is also a place for bringing together ideas from all locations and all disciplines. I believe that our willingness to embrace different world cultures and perspectives is the same as our openness to accepting and valuing contributions from other disciplines and fields. Engaging globally encourages us to communicate, express, and collaborate in different ways, even within our own institutions and organizations. And it is clear that overcoming the enormous challenges we face: poverty, healthcare, education, transportation, and climate change; will require working together across boundaries, whether it’s crossing international borders or departmental distinctions.

Such efforts  are now an imperative, and the results will impact each and every one of us as citizens of the world.

Youngmoo Kim, Director