The Office of International Programs (OIP) coordinates a variety of events to facilitate international engagement. See below for information on current and past lectures, workshops, and symposia. For upcoming events you can view our calendar.

View the calendar

The ACES Distinguished International Lecture Series brings distinguished speakers to campus to discuss international experiences and issues. Faculty, staff, and students are invited to participate in the lecture series to explore and enhance their understanding of international affairs. 

2019-20 Lecture

The Honorable Ambassador Allan P. Mustard (Nov. 6 2019)

2018–19 Lecture

Director General of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Ruben G Echeverria (Dec. 4 2018)

2017–18 Lecture

Hilal Elver, United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food

2016–17 Lecture

Jimmy Smith, Director of the International Livestock Research Institute

2015–16 Lecture

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, "The Role of Public Research Universities in Addressing International Food Security"

Previous Lectures

• 2014–15 Lecture Series
• 2013 Lecture Series
• 2011–2012 Lecture Series
• 2010 Lecture Series
• 2002–2005 Lecture Series

The Office of International Programs presents workshops and special seminars to:

• provide educational opportunities and interactions with distinguished guests
• create access for ACES faculty, staff, and students to policymakers and governmental and other agencies
• deliver discipline-specific content with a strong international dimension 
• highlight current collaborations between ACES and institutions around the world
• find potential collaborators for ACES with institutions around the world  

Speakers have included the former Director of NIFA’s Center for International programs, Otto Gonzales; current Director of FAO North America, Jocelyn Brown; and many other USDA administrators.  

Most recently, ACES International hosted Foreign Agricultural Service’s Jim Suits

Also during 2022, ACES International partnered with the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies to broaden the impact and widen the reach of ACES critical partnerships in Brazil, particularly with Brazil's Federal University of Lavras (UFLA). 

The Office of International Programs organizes and co-sponsors symposia events for internal and external audiences.

• Within Reach No Poverty with The Deaton Institute 2022 
• IMMÁS Illinois - Mexico, Water and Environment Symposium
• IMMÁS Illinois Jalisco, México Food and Health Symposium
• Sixth Annual International Food Security Symposium at Illinois - Comparative Extension, Perspectives from the Field
• Fifth Annual International Food Security Symposium: Building Institutional Capacity for Food Security – April 2–3, 2019
• Fourth Annual Food Security Symposium: R&D to Avoid a World Food Crisis - April 30 – May 1, 2018
• Third Annual Food Security Symposium: Commercial Agriculture in Tropical Environments -  April 2017
• Second Annual Food Security Symposium: Using Big Data to Improve International Food Security. March 2016.
• Food Systems for Food Security Symposium. February 10, 2015.
• Conference on Nutrition, Health and Gender in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2015. (Co-sponsor)
• National Defense University. 2012, 2014. OIP hosts a cadre of senior officials from national militaries around the world as part of their Midwest tour to learn about critical food security and agribusiness issues.
• Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program. 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018. OIP assembled a line-up of speakers to help this group broaden their awareness of international social, political, and cultural issues. Attendees develop a better understanding of the role and responsibility of the U.S. within an ever-changing global agribusiness environment.
• UP-Amigos International Symposium. 2013. This international symposium convened researchers who are investigating obesity and metabolic syndrome among Mexican-orgin populations.