Group of Harford students in  front of Coliseum in Rome, Italy

Global Education & Engagement

In an effort to prepare Harford Community College students to actively participate in and help shape the future of an interconnected global society, Global Education & Engagement offers travel programs, partnerships with local, regional and international organizations, and programming that sparks a broadened view of the world and its cultures.

Travel

When people think of education, they often think of textbooks, classrooms and exams. But there is another kind of learning that is every bit as valuable — experience.

Harford Community College provides students with a wide array of opportunities to gain valuable educational experiences outside of Harford County. These travel-study experiences can be domestic or international and can be taken as part of a credit course, a service learning project, or as a noncredit learning adventure through the Student Activities Office.

Travel-study experiences allow students to live the content they learn about and incorporate their experiences into their lives once they return. Our travel study experiences generally last two to three weeks while semester abroad and internship programs can be tailored to fit each student's learning goals. In recent years, Harford students have studied in Denmark, Russia, Germany, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Ireland, Belize, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom.

“This experience was a reality check.

It helped me to see things I take for granted in everyday life and truly inspired me to work toward making a difference and being more involved in my community . . .”

Programming

Each November, Harford Community College joins institutions from 100 countries around the world in celebrating International Education Week. It is co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education to showcase the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. Past events include a film discussion series, presentations by professionals from Iran and Russia, and international art show, a campus-wide luncheon featuring food prepared from family recipes of our international students, and a Global IQ contest.

Harford Community College supports a Multi-Cultural Student Association and as you walk through our campus you will see 48 flags (the number changes each year) displayed to represent the countries of origin of our international students, faculty and staff. We are proud of the diverse cultures and ideas on our campus and work to cultivate a sense of understanding and appreciation for them all.

Partnerships & Organizations

Harford Community College seeks collaborative partnerships with institutions of higher learning and other appropriate organizations in countries outside of the United States. These partnerships and projects provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to develop global competency, and support curricular objectives and faculty/staff professional development.

The mission of CCID is to provide opportunities for building global relationships that strengthen educational programs and promote economic development. Their many activities and programs are broad, deep, and focused on global education issues as they relate primarily to two-year colleges. CCID's focus is on preparing students to be competitive in the global marketplace.
Government and business representatives from Harford County have come together to establish a sister city relationship between the Town of Bel Air and Narva, Estonia. The goal is to build friendship and cultural exchange as well as develop economic potential. HCC is working on a partnership with Narva College (a regional faculty of the University of Tartu) to facilitate the exchange of curriculum development, team-taught courses, and a vibrant faculty and student exchange program.
In order to promote study abroad experiences, HCC is a member of the Maryland Community College International Education Consortium. HCC students can participate in travel/study abroad opportunities through other Maryland community colleges. To find out what is available, visit http://www.mcciec.org. Contact Dr. Stephanie Hallock at 443-412-2262 or shallock@harford.edu for information.