Abstract
Experiential learning provides an opportunity for
students to bridge classroom and research knowledge
and experiences with the realities of creating solutions
for difficult policy issues. Experiential learning becomes
even more powerful for capacity building when it involves
cultural and geographic diversity and multiple public and
private institutions. Our next generation of leaders will
need these bridging experiences to address and solve
global challenges like climate change, food security
and transboundary diseases. These challenges cannot
effectively be solved by individual countries or institutions
and require creating new frameworks and partnerships
that are transdisciplinary and global. The objectives of
this paper were 1) to describe an experiential learning
experience through the National Animal Health and Food
Security Policy course conducted in Washington DC and
2) discuss ways the curriculum of this multi-institutional
course could be internationalized and adopted globally.
The paper discusses possible ways of internationalizing
this course including: formation of partnerships with
institutions that are already involved in multi-institutional
global courses; involvement of international agencies
whose missions align with the national health and
food security policy course; and signing memoranda of
understanding among governments to use this course
for capacity building for their public servants.