Fostering International Connections

In June 2021, doctoral students from around the world came together for the fifth annual Royster Global conference, designed to increase an understanding of graduate education and foster connections internationally.

The interdisciplinary conference is sponsored by the Royster Society of Fellows and is an initiative of The Graduate School at UNC-Chapel Hill. The conference drew 29 participants, including 14 Royster fellows and 15 doctoral students from outside the U.S.

The 2021 conference, held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, provided a forum for graduate students to reflect on recent crises within the context of academic instruction and research; to identify strategies for coping and overcoming challenges; and to apply lessons learned in broad contexts within universities and societies.

“I’ve learned so much from these students’ work and who they are,” said Banu Gökariksel, Caroline H. and Thomas S. Royster Distinguished Professor for Graduate Education. “Royster Global is very special because it allows us to connect internationally … We have so many people from such different backgrounds, and I really value these connections we are making.”

The Royster Society of Fellows is the premier doctoral recruitment fellowship at Carolina, created by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Royster in 1996.

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