OIRED

OIRED- What We Do
The Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED) supports the international mission of Virginia Tech through collaborative programs in research, education, and technical assistance.  Currently, OIRED oversees projects in more than 40 countries throughout Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. As part of the university’s Outreach and In­ternational Affairs division, OIRED provides access to the full range of expertise available at Virginia Tech and through project partners around the world.  A group of 16 faculty and 11 staff members assist OIRED in the following areas:

Donor-Funded Collaborative Research
With a research grant portfolio of over $64 million in 44 countries around the globe—from Nepal to Uganda to Bolivia—OIRED manages projects in forestry and natural resource management, integrated pest management, sustainable agriculture, watershed management, capacity-building in education, and micro-enterprise development. Most of these ventures are funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Current project initiatives include building institutional capacity at two universities in Southern Sudan, reducing the harmful use of pesticides in the Caribbean, and developing systems for conservation agriculture around the world.

Education Abroad
Virginia Tech’s Education Abroad program sends more than 1,100 students overseas annually in a range of programs. The office provides counseling for both students and parents in financial aid, credit transfer, and how to fit Education Abroad into a four-year college plan that may already seem tight. In any given year, Virginia Tech students study abroad in as many as 48 countries.

Fulbright Program for Faculty
The Fulbright program gives American students and faculty the opportunity to study or conduct research in over 100 different countries around the world. The program is sponsored by the United States Information Agency in cooperation with U.S. embassies and international Fulbright commissions and foundations. The program is designed to give recent graduates, doctoral candidates, and young professionals opportunities for personal development and international experience.

Graduate Certificate in International Research
The Graduate Certificate in International Research allows graduate students already working towards a graduate degree to attain special recognition for work in international development. The specialization provides guidance in the choice of electives, course alternatives within the discipline, and thesis topics. It is designed to broaden students' academic experiences while enabling them to better face international challenges.

International Support Services
International Support Services assists international researchers and scholars in processing visas and transitioning into a job at Virginia Tech. The office also provides orientation and information packets to H-1B and J-1 scholars and advises administrators and faculty on how to receive visitors from other countries. In addition, International Support Services also coordinates MOUs with universities and institutions around the world.

Small Grants for Faculty
OIRED invites Virginia Tech faculty to apply for a limited number of small grants to support the development of academic programs dealing with global issues, new Education Abroad or student exchange programs, and academic programs or research that have the potential for larger external funding.  The purpose of this program is to develop and support academic programs that will contribute significantly to the university's international mission, and enhance interdisciplinary programs that have the potential for obtaining external funding for further program development.

S.K. De Datta, Associate Vice President for International Affairs, Director of OIRED