The vision: Global Issues

UC Davis will be the university of choice for international students, post-doctoral scholars, faculty, prestigious international and governmental exchange programs and research enterprises that have trans-national and global applications.

International students and scholars have been studying at UC Davis almost since it’s founding a century ago. Additionally, UC Davis has a long history of engaging with the outside world to bring viable, groundbreaking technologies, expertise and scholarship into practice to help solve some of society’s most pressing problems.

2010 highlights in global engagement:

UC Davis has had a profound impact on global initiatives such as the development of agriculture in Chile. The university is currently involved in collaborative programs and projects in 91 countries throughout the world. From leadership in developing innovative “green” transportation technologies to fighting childhood malnutrition in Africa, UC Davis’ talented faculty and students are utilizing the university’s strength in interdisciplinary collaboration and working with other scholars nationally and internationally to solve these challenges.

For example, on the night of April 20, 2010, when BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil and gas well erupted, Michael Ziccardi, associate professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine and a veteran of more than 30 oil spills, was quickly called upon to establish and lead the Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Unit as part of the oil spill’s clean up effort. Ziccardi led a team of veterinarians in saving the lives of dolphins, whales, manatees and sea turtles impacted by the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.