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The Common Home Project

Sustaining Our Shared Future

The Common Home Project is a University-wide program that captures the Creighton 150 Leading The Way Strategic Plan and the Creighton Global Initiative goals, augments the vision for inclusive dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our shared planet, and nurtures scholarship about urgent environmental, social and humanitarian challenges.

Common Home Project Hub Map

The Common Home Project will accept proposals in the following 5 categories:

Collaborative Online International Learning Courses

First, we are looking for Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) opportunities with hub partners ...as well as with other international partners.  

Opportunities to engage in multicultural learning experiences have traditionally relied on intensive study abroad trips, which can be prohibitive for students with limited fiscal resources or who are place-bound. COIL is a pedagogical approach using digital technology to provide experiential international learning without travel abroad.  Through web-based, cross-country intellectual exchange, COIL helps prepare students for a diverse and multicultural world. 

COIL courses are designed to fulfill academic degree program goals related to disciplinary knowledge as well as professional communication, cross-cultural collaboration, and appreciation for diversity.

Characteristics differentiating COIL from other forms of online learning include the following:

  1. faculty from different academic institutions located in different countries co-create, co-teach, and co-manage an entire or portion of a course over a specified time frame; 
  2. students in different countries participate in the course, yet remain enrolled and obtain credit at their own academic institution;
  3. students are evaluated and graded by their own in-country faculty, which allows for learning objectives to be distinct between student groups;
  4. students engage in highly interactive, shared problem-solving exercises and projects with international peers; and
  5. course communication, content, and assignments use internet-connected technology that is readily accessible and low cost to participating students.

COIL courses can be developed within and between academic disciplines, often leading to unique insights unobtainable in single-country learning settings. Scaffolded interactions allow students across countries to get to know each other and share assignments that involve exchanging views on a given topic. Students typically work in small groups to solve a challenge or develop a communal product. Through these activities, cross-cultural differences emerge, which are reflected on and debriefed by both sides throughout or in a culminating interaction.

The Common Home Project will provide resources to support integration of COIL strategies in existing courses or the development of new courses.  The Global Engagement Office will facilitate the introduction of faculty across countries if a faculty member does not have a partner already in mind (priority will be placed on existing Common Home Project hub partners, but other partner institutions can be considered based on the type of course being considered).  Financial resources for materials will be provided during the development/conversion of the course, while a faculty stipend ($1,000.00) will be paid only upon the first offering of the course.

Travel Courses at Hub or Other Partner Institutions

Second, we are looking for faculty interested in collaborating with our partner institutions in offering travel courses.

These include short (less tan one semester) and medium (one semester) study opportunities that earn academic credit. The partner hub is responsible for managing the logistics for such experiences and in most circumstances, hub partner students will participate in these experiences alongside Creighton University students.

Short-term programs (i.e. Faculty Led Programs Away or FLPAs) may be led by Creighton University faculty or co-led by hub partner faculty. Because leaders at the hub partner institution are much more intimately linked to their communities, this model assures stronger experiential learning opportunities that are more relevant to the local context.  Additionally, this model reduces costs and mitigates risks.

Medium-term study abroad opportunities will be in the form of student exchanges. Costs for each opportunity will be negotiated on a yearly basis. Students interested in these opportunities should contact the Study Abroad team. 

Depending on the type of program and priority in the partnership, Common Home Project student scholarships funds may be available.

These include immersions, internships, service projects or conferences hosted collaboratively with our hub or other international partners.  These programs may be co-organized between institutions, but the hub partner will handle most of the logistics given their expertise in the local community.  These programs prioritize participation together of students and/or faculty from both institutions.

Because leaders at the hub partner institution are much more intimately linked to their communities, this model assures stronger experiential learning opportunities that are more relevant to the local context.  Additionally, this model reduces costs and mitigates risks.

This includes opportunities in Omaha / Phoenix as a local Common Home Project hub!

Global Learning Assessment Projects

Creighton University has a long history of engaging students in global opportunities ranging from the presence of international speakers, scholars and students, to study abroad semesters, short term travel courses, and a variety of cross-cultural immersions and service opportunities. Often such opportunities are described as 'high impact' but such descriptions are based mostly on anecdotal reporting. To date there has been limited systematic study of the short- and long-term outcomes of such experiences. The Common Home Project seeks research proposals that will contribute to the body of knowledge on international education and serve to refine institutional programs. Examples of studies that will be considered include, but are not limited to:

  1. Longitudinal interviews of participants in the Encuentro Dominicano Program;
  2. Pre/post-test of language acquisition and study abroad assignments;
  3. Intercultural proficiency outcomes of immersion experiences;
  4. Academic knowledge development and international travel;
  5. Integration of international students into campus life;
  6. Factors the influence choice of study abroad location selection;
  7. Impact of global experiences in employment choices;
  8. Role of availability of global learning opportunities in college selection;
  9. Etc.

The Common Home Project will provide resources to support completion of the study. The Global Engagement Office will assist with recruitment of study participants and other research needs. Financial resources for materials will be provided during study upon IRB approval, while a faculty stipend ($1,000.00) will be paid only upon submission of a final study report.

Collaborative Research Projects

These projects involve collaboration between scholars of each institution, enhancing their work with multidisciplinary and multicultural perspectives, and reducing duplication of resources in individual projects. Opportunity for multi-site research.

Generally the Common Home Project will provide seed funding for the first collaborative project. The collaborating scholars must commit to pursue funding together for a subsequent project.

The Common Home Project will soon be adding a specialized grant-writer to the team who will provide significant assistance in identifying external grant opportunities, drafting and submitting the proposal, and managing the project if successfully funded.

These joint projects will be developed jointly with our hub partners. Funding for exploratory visits will be available for projects that are of high priority for the hub partners.

Support will be made available for individual projects through visits to each other's institution to gain access to resources and opportunities otherwise not available at the home institution. Partner hub institutions will assist in most logistics (finding housing, transportation, access to resources, etc.). Financial arrangements will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Programs might include sabbatical research, visiting lectures, language study, etc.

While priority for this type of funding will be placed on collaboration with our Common Home Project hub partner institutions, proposals with other institutions will be considered to the degree they contribute the enhancement of global learning, community engagement and sustainable development goals of the Common Home Project.

Do you have a different idea for a program to contribute to the Common Home Project priorities?

The Common Home Project will support other unique programs developed in collaboration with hub partners OR which may prepare Creighton University to be better partners. Such programs might include conferences, special meetings, exhibitions, staff exchanges, and so on.

Contact Rene Padilla to discuss your idea!

How Can I Apply?

  1. Become familiar with the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Targets in order to connect them with your proposal here.
  2. Review details about each Common Home Project Hub partner to gain a sense of their context here.
  3. If you are curious, have an idea, want to explore a partnership, or want guidance in applying for a Common Home Project Grant, sign up for an information session here.
  4. If you have a preliminary idea and need feedback or help in linking your idea to an SDG, a partner, or a collaborator on campus, complete the preliminary application form here.
  5. If you are ready to submit your proposal, find the project proposal form here.

 


The Common Home Project Hubs

Although project proposals that are local or connect us with other international partners will be accepted, the Common Home Project is prioritizing the development of global learning, community engagement, and sustainable development opportunities with key HUB institutions:

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Map of the Common Home Project Hubs with the North American hub in the US highlighted

Nearly 8% of Nebraska residents were born outside the United States, and about 4.4% are not US citizens. Many non-US born residents are refugees. However, many residents born in the US live in the shadow on major global trends - past and future.  European colonizers took most of the lands that were once part of Native American nations, reducing that population to about 1% of Nebraska residents. Many of the 5% of Black or African American residents can trace their roots to slavery just two or three generations ago. Waves of Czech, Italian, Russian, Irish, Latin American and citizens of many other countries settled in Nebraska, making it a very diverse state.

That does not mean that there aren't significant needs in Nebraska.

Creighton University's Common Home Project will support global learning opportunities that help us understand how "the local is global, and the global is local."

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Map of the Common Home Project Hubs with the Caribbean hub in the Dominican Republic highlighted

Our 45+ year history of engagement in the Dominican Republic through the Institute for Latin American Concern (ILAC), the Encuentro Dominicano, and our local partner, the Centro de Educación para la Salud Integral (CESI) have laid the groundwork for engagement in more areas of sustainable development. The Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) is a private Catholic university with a main campus in Santiago de los Caballeros.Its mission is to "Seek scientific solutions to the challenges facing the Dominican people and their global environment, and train leading professionals, endowed with ethical, humanistic and Christian principles, necessary for the material and spiritual development of society, maintaining the character of open space for the free discussion of ideas. "Recently we also began exploring the possibility of collaboration with the Instituto Politécnico Loyola (IPL), a Jesuit technical and professional education institution in San Cristobal.

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Map of the Common Home Project Hubs with the South American hub in Edcuador highlighted

The Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador (PUCE) in the capital city of Quito, Ecuador, is a comprehensive Jesuit institution ranked as one of the leading universities in Latin America.  It is based on four principles that echo the priorities of The Common Home Project:  social impact, agile administration, sustainability, and holistic development of the human being.  PUCE is internationally recognized for its scientific output and the quality of its faculty and students.  Additionally, it is recognized as a networking university, serving as a frequent meeting convener for programs that attract participants form all other Jesuit universities in South America.  There is a wide variety of opportunities for collaboration.

PUCE has invited Creighton University to explore deeper involvement in their programs at the Yasuní Research Station, located in the Yasuní Forest Reserve in the Ecuadorean Amazon region.

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Map of the Common Home Project Hubs with the African hub in Uganda highlighted

We have signed an agreement with Uganda Martyrs University. More information about this partnership will be added shortly.

A site visit is being planned for summer or fall 2021. If you are interested in helping with the exploration of this partnership, please contact Rene Padilla.

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Map of the Common Home Project Hubs with the Asia Subcontinent hub in India highlighted

We have identified two Jesuit Universities in two cities which have several joint programs, but also have different emphases of interest to Creighton University.

St. Xavier's College (Autonomous) in Mumbai is committed to training for professional innovation, cultivating personal integration and advocating for social inclusion.  Considered one of the most important universities in India, it offers academic programs in the humanities and basic sciences. It boasts leading global scholars in eco-zoology, literary eco-criticism, and eco-psychology amongst its faculty.

St. Joseph's College (Autonomous) in Bangalore has a unique social integration program and is a leader in academic service-learning.  Their programs in commerce and social enterprise are of particular interest to Creighton University. They have a close connection with multiple NGOs and with a Center for Inter-Religious Dialogue, respected across India as a positive mediator between the large diversity of faiths and religions in that country.

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Map of the Common Home Project Hubs with the Southeast Asia hub in The Philippines highlighted

We are in the process of seeking exploration of possibilities with Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines.

More details will be added once any agreement is finalized.

A visit is being planned to the Philippines in summer or fall of 2021. If you are interested in helping explore this partnership, please contact Rene Padilla.

The Common Home Project Air Travel Mitigation Fund

Because The Common Home Project has sustainability as a fundamental theme, it must include efforts to help Creighton University members recognize the challenges of climate change and make efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), especially those from business related travel.

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