Paper short abstract:

Graduate education is a resource for increasing food sovereignty and decreasing food insecurity. Two pathways will be shared, inviting Global South students to apply to Global North institutions for graduate education and utilizing Global North faculty expertise in the Global South.

Paper long abstract:

Graduate education has a unique role in addressing global challenges, like food sovereignty and food insecurity. This can be accomplished through two distinct pathways; graduate education programs for students in the Global North (GN) and capitalizing on the expertise of faculty to provide consultation to higher education institutions across the Global South (GS).

The GN is well positioned to provide educational opportunities to students and professionals from the GS through a number of high impact experiences at top ranking institutions. Students seeking either a master degree, doctoral (PhD) degree, or other professional certificates have unique access to academic programs in the GN. Academic programs with high impact graduate experiences challenge learners through hands-on research, practical internships, and working directly with experts in the area of agricultural development, food insecurity, climate change, as well as social factors contributing to perpetuating cultural issues.

The second pathway focuses on catalyzing the faculty expertise in the GN to assist and provide support to higher education institutions across the GS. By introducing innovative and novel teaching practices, as well as administrative models, to faculty and institutional leaders, institutions can improve both their effectiveness and efficiency. Through consultation with faculty and administrative experts from the GN institutions across the GS will have new strategies and tools to begin addressing issues of food sovereignty and food insecurity. This can create a more localized ability to have real time discourse and resolution building.

Facilitating these conversations can lead to more collaborative partnerships between the GN and GS.