About the Center | Bhisé Center for Global Understanding

The Bhisé Center for Global Understanding is a hub at Adelphi University for the study, development and facilitation of academic programs and initiatives promoting global and intercultural understanding.

Our work focuses on topics and issues relating to disadvantaged populations and marginalized groups, the significance of repressed narratives in history and public discourses, the importance of gender equity, the urgency of critical contemporary issues requiring global solutions, and the role of classical performing arts (from India and other regions of the world).

The Center seeks to foster intercultural communication and sustainable development, and the promotion of empowerment and decoloniality.

Our Mission

The Bhisé Center for Global Understanding is a hub at Adelphi University for the study, development, and facilitation of academic programs and initiatives promoting global and intercultural understanding. Ultimately, the Center seeks to cultivate genuinely curious, educated and deeply empathetic global citizens who cherish values such as human dignity, diversity, equity and justice, and who embrace pluralities of cultures and ways of being in the world as foundations for prosperity, peaceful coexistence and our shared humanity.

In this quest it focuses especially on topics and issues relating to marginalized groups and subaltern populations, the significance of repressed narratives in history and public discourses, the importance of gender equity, the urgency of critical contemporary issues requiring global solutions, and the role of classical performing arts (from India and other regions of the world) in fostering intercultural communication and sustainable development, and the promotion of empowerment and decoloniality.

It creates transformative educational opportunities for a community of students, faculty and staff interested in studying history from below, culture, international relations, and vital social and economic issues affecting societies, nations and different ethnic groups in various regions of the world. In this effort, the Center also seeks to cultivate productive new linkages between scholarly inquiry, education, and outreach to various sectors of the societies it engages with.

Our Vision

The Bhisé Center of Global Understanding will become a nationally and internationally distinguished center for the study and promotion of inclusion, intercultural understanding and learning, and a space of confluence and exchange between people from very different backgrounds. The Center will be widely recognized as providing exceptional learning opportunities to educate the leaders of tomorrow working towards strengthening global and intercultural collaboration, exchange, commerce and community.

Holger Henke, PhD Director of the Bhisé Center for Global Understanding at Adelphi University

Core Initiatives of the Bhisé Center

Through these initiatives, the Bhisé Center for Global Understanding remains committed to addressing global challenges, fostering inclusion, and preparing students for meaningful engagement in an interconnected world.

Supporting and collaborating with Adelphi’s academic departments and programs such as:

Art History
Asian Studies
African, Black and Caribbean Studies
Business
Communications
Critical Peace
Justice and Human Rights Studies
Dance
European Studies,
Gender & Sexuality Studies
History
Honors College Programs
Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Latin American and Latinx Studies
Music
Philosophy
Political Science
Psychology
Social Work
Sociology
Theatre

Creating and supporting interdisciplinary or team-taught courses that address global issues, promote intercultural understanding, and align with Adelphi PATH curriculum requirements.

Building relationships with global institutions, organizations, and businesses to advance research, creative projects and scholarly work.

Supporting initiatives that foster global understanding, inclusion, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and mindfulness.

Establishing meaningful study abroad programs and facilitating global internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

Promoting student research and creative projects that align with the Center’s mission, and supporting participation in Adelphi’s annual Scholarship and Creative Works Conference.

Organizing events such as our Global Lecture Series, a film series, study away and abroad excursions, cultural events, focused mentorships and academic tutoring programs.

Hosting distinguished scholars, artists, and academic residencies that contribute to global understanding.

Establishing and maintaining partnerships with international institutions, organizations, and stakeholders to promote mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence.