International Operations

In recognition of Columbia’s role in the world and following our university president’s commitment to ensuring that, from its location in the nation’s most global city, Columbia excels as a truly global university, this newly developed resource seeks to provide operational guidance and support to administrators, faculty, students, and staff that conceptualize, propose, travel to, or manage projects outside of the United States.

International Operations is managed through cross-collaboration and oversight of the offices of the Treasury, the Controller, and Procurement Services. It aims to ensure that University programs are able to adhere to the highest standards of fiscal responsibility, in light of the growing demands of globalization.  

International Operations will look to provide answers to any concern raised; either by identifying the appropriate policy, tool, or resource available or by seeking further guidance in instances when additional clarification might be needed. Examples of issues that will be addressed are listed below:

• Fostering collaboration between faculty of different departments with programs already established or soon to be established abroad;
• Checklists of things to consider for staff or faculty traveling to a high-risk location;
• Guidance to an administrator planning a new study abroad program;
• Establishing a presence in a different country (e.g., opening a foreign bank account, employing staff, and establishing a legal presence); and
• Continuous collaboration with other Universities across the country to determine best practices and possible solutions to common challenges.