Six students and staff jumping in the air with the sand and sky in the background

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 is the signature international service-learning program of Barrett, The Honors College. The program brings together interdisciplinary teams of students, faculty, and global partners to address real-world challenges through human-centered design, ensuring that community voices remain central throughout every project phase. Rather than imposing external solutions, GlobalResolve begins each collaboration by listening—working alongside local NGOs, universities, municipal governments, schools, and community leaders to identify priorities, co-create solutions, and build long-term capacity.

For nearly two decades, GlobalResolve has empowered students and community partners to co-design people-centered solutions to complex global challenges. Since its first project in 2006, GlobalResolve has completed approximately 200 projects in 19 countries, addressing critical issues such as food insecurity, public health inequities, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability in direct alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

As GlobalResolve celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026, the program continues to deepen long-term partnerships, expand student access to transformational learning experiences, and strengthen community-driven impact. In recognition of the students, staff and faculty that have contributed to the program, GlobalResolve was awarded the ASU President’s Award for Global Engagement in December 2025.

GlobalResolve featured on PBS

Support the program

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

Contribute

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

Request info

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

Learn more

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

ASU News