Global Perspectives: I-House Berkeley Quarterly Updates

Shaun Carver, I-House Executive Director, Speaking at the Higher Education Partnership Network Miami (HEPN US)

October 30, 2025

Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Dear I-House Community,

Since our first Global Perspectives newsletter, the world has not stood still. Much has happened – on campus, in the US, and across the globe – reminding us how valuable open dialogue becomes when tensions rise. In moments of division, spaces that foster listening and understanding matter more than ever.

At International House at UC Berkeley, we’ve held to a mission that has guided us for nearly a century: to foster understanding across lines of nationality, belief, and identity. That mission matters most when the climate around us grows heated. In moments like these, we return to first principles – listening before responding, seeking to understand before judging, and affirming the dignity of every person who walks through our doors.

The work of building bridges does not happen in policy statements or headlines alone. It takes shape in shared meals, in late-night study sessions, and in the courage of students who engage across differences rather than retreat into division. That is the daily practice of I-House, and it is what sustains our community even in uncertain times.

Thank you for standing with us in this commitment to dialogue over division.

Shaun Carver, I-House Executive Director

Shaun R. Carver Ed.D., MBA
Executive Director and CEO
International House at UC Berkeley
linkedin.com/in/shauncarver

A Global Community, United

Something big has happened. On October 22, International Houses around the world came together for the official launch of the International House Association (IHA) – a historic step in building a stronger, more connected global community.

The IHA is a working community of International Houses and centers dedicated to one shared mission of fostering peace through cross-cultural understanding. Together, we exchange knowledge, support students and scholars, and build intentional communities where dialogue, respect, and trust can flourish.

Alongside Denise Jorgens (International House, Chicago) and Martin Chalker (CEO, International Students House, London), I am honored to help shape this next chapter as a founding member. By linking our Houses globally, we can expand opportunities for residents, strengthen collaborations, and carry forward a model of leadership that prepares students to navigate complexity with empathy and courage.

At a time when polarization and mistrust dominate headlines, the IHA stands as a unifying platform. We believe global citizenship is not optional – it is essential for a more peaceful and just world. Watch this space, and in the meantime, read more about it in this article from The Daily Cal.

Learn more about International House Association via our website, and follow us on LinkedIn.

Worth a Read

US University Policies Will Cause Long-term Damage

Following a Financial Times report on the $1 billion revenue hit US universities face over foreign student fears, I responded with a letter highlighting the deeper, lasting risk of the erosion of trust. When international students face visa delays, detentions, or sudden deregistrations, they begin to question whether the United States is a place they can build a future.

International students bring far more than tuition – they fuel research, enrich communities, and strengthen the workforce in sectors that need high-skill talent. Nearly half stay to work after graduation. Competing countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia are making their commitment to global talent clear. Unless the US establishes transparent visa rules and stable post-study pathways, it risks losing the next generation of global contributors.

Read my letter in the Financial Times »

Universities Can’t Legislate Their Way Back to Openness

Across the Atlantic, my colleague and counterpart in London, Martin Chalker, shared his perspective in the Financial Times on the state of free speech in higher education. His piece argues that the deeper risk on campus is not censorship, but retreat — when students choose silence over disagreement because dialogue feels unsafe or futile.

He writes that civility cannot be legislated. It takes courage to listen despite differences and humility to be changed by conversation. It’s a message that echoes across the International House network, where openness and dialogue remain at the heart of every community.

Read Martin's letter in the Financial Times »

Bridging the Language Gap in Higher Education with AI

In a recent feature for AI Technology Insights, I explored how generative AI can foster more inclusive participation in global classrooms. Rather than focusing on automation, the piece highlights AI’s potential to amplify confidence, support expression across languages, and create space for dialogue that might otherwise be held back by hesitation or inequity.

From helping students refine phrasing before joining discussions to giving faculty tools that flag tone and bias, AI can act as a scaffold for communication without diluting academic rigor.

The most valuable role AI can play in education is augmentation, not automation – making sure every voice has the chance to be heard.

Read the article in AI Technology Insights »

In Conversation

The I-House Spotify playlist is your front row seat to the global conversations shaping our institution today. From international student policy to resilience, identity, and innovation – our community has a lot to say. Whether you’re commuting or cooking dinner, this is a great way to hear directly from the people who make I-House what it is.

Explore the International House Spotify playlist »

Here’s a standout episode:

Speak Your Mind Unapologetically
Episode: How To Bridge Cultural Divides And Cultivate Respectful Conversations?

Shaun shares how leaders can bridge cultural divides, welcome diverse team members, and cultivate respectful conversations.

▶︎ Listen on Apple Podcasts

▶︎ Listen on Spotify

From Our House to Yours

Thank you to all the donors, supporters, and advocates of I-House Berkeley. Together, we create a global community where understanding transcends borders.

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