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Global initiatives and study abroad

Global Leader Series

The Global Leader Series is a Barrett initiative which focuses on bringing global leaders to campus for short-term engagements and long-term in-residence commitments. Visiting global leaders share their knowledge and experience with Barrett students by participating in small and large group events, including keynote lectures, roundtable discussions, and coffee and conversations. The program also has expanded by offering virtual events and inviting individuals to teach accelerated courses.

Global leaders over the years

GlobalResolve

GlobalResolve, the recipient of Arizona State University's 2025 President's Award for Global Engagement, is an international service-learning program at Barrett, The Honors College. Founded in 2006 as a social entrepreneurship initiative, the program deepens the educational experience for ASU students through real-world, community-driven projects around the world.

Today, our student project teams, led by ASU mentors in collaboration with community partners in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, develop projects that address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

GlobalResolve featured on PBS

GlobalResolve has three main objectives:

Expose Barrett students to life-changing and culturally immersive experiences that make a positive impact in the world
Design people-centered solutions and build mutual understanding
Empower grassroots communities with solutions and skills that increase community resilience

As part of their projects, Barrett students work with international universities, residents of rural villages, local governments, financial institutions, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), to find solutions to the most pressing issues identified by key stakeholders in the partner community.

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Want to donate to make programs like this possible? Learn how you can contribute!

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Global Honors Flex

Global Honors Flex is an immersive experience that allows Barrett students to take honors courses while living in an honors community abroad. In Spring 2026, the program will be designed for Barrett first-year students in their spring semester, who will earn 15 honors credits while studying and living in Milan and Rome, Italy. Honors students will spend six weeks in each location. By the end of Global Honors Flex, you will complete half of your honors curriculum requirements in your first year at Barrett.

Experience Milan and Rome

Read about students’ experience during Global Honors Flex:

Berlin in Spring '24

Rome in Spring '25

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If you are interested in learning more about Global Honors Flex, please complete this form:

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Global Ties That Bind

Global Ties That Bind combines the subject-matter expertise and talents of civil society and academia to engage in knowledge sharing between ASU and our partners - the University of Pretoria and In Transformation Initiative in South Africa - on common issues that bind the US and South Africa. This program aims to empower the people of South Africa and the US in their pursuit of human rights, democratic ideals, access to justice and peaceful co-existence.

The program is based on UN SDG 16. Students in this program will complete the following: two HON upper division courses (6 credits), honors thesis project and an immersive study and research trip to South Africa, which will be reciprocated by an exchange trip by our University of Pretoria counterparts to ASU. The courses and thesis project will be in collaboration with University of Pretoria faculty and honors students.

Peace Justice and Strong Institutions Sustainable Development Goals

Study Abroad

Barrett highly encourages its students to enhance their educational experience by traveling abroad, including traditional study abroad programs and semester exchanges. Combining travel with study expands each student’s global perspective and provides a multitude of opportunities to grow as an individual and scholar while seeing the world.

Our goal is to make all of our students embody the values of global citizenship that a holistic education represents. Students who have completed study-travel programs return with a meaningful educational experience and one they will remember for the rest of their lives.

For traditional study abroad programs, Barrett offers two options each year: Global Intensive Experiences and summer travel programs.

Global Intensive Experiences typically last 7-10 days, have program fees around $3,000 and allow students to earn up to three honors credits
Summer travel programs last approximately 3-4 weeks, with program fees around $7,000, and students can earn up to six honors credits

All of Barrett’s programs are led by experienced faculty and staff and uphold Barrett Community Standards. Students can expect a high-quality academic experience on our travel programs while they access a variety of cultural experiences during their time in-country.

Female student posing the ASU pitchfork sign while looking down a beautiful river with hills on both sides

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