Notre Dame Global in Photos: May 2025 | News | Notre Dame Global

In May, the University of Notre Dame's global network and its partner institutions engaged in immersive learning, cultural exchange, and meaningful collaboration. From the bustling streets of Kathmandu to the river communities of Panama, students explored sustainability, migration, and energy systems through hands-on, community-based programs. In Milan and Cape Town, they addressed real-world challenges through the lens of human-centered design and social inquiry. Alumni events in Beijing, professional and research placements in Mexico City and Hong Kong, and cultural visits to the Great Wall and Elephanta Caves underscored the extent of Notre Dame’s global reach. Conferences in Dublin and San Diego gathered thought leaders in the higher education and nonprofit arenas to shape policy and develop future leaders. These experiences deepened students’ global awareness while strengthening ties between Notre Dame and partners across five continents.

This photo gallery highlights some of the valuable interactions and experiences Notre Dame faculty, staff, and students have taken part in over the past month.

The selection was curated by Notre Dame Global staff working on campus and in the University's 12 global locations.

Study Abroad

A group of students stands in front of the Duomo di Milano, a massive, ornate, white marble cathedral with numerous spires and statues against a partly cloudy sky.

Notre Dame students from Professor Wendy Angst’s Innovation & Design Thinking class gather in front of Milan’s iconic Duomo, embodying the collaborative spirit of their Milan Summer immersion. This hands-on program, held in May and June, immerses students in Milan's rich cultural landscape, allowing them to apply human-centered design principles to real-world challenges in collaboration with peers from Università Cattolica.

Group of students pose behind the Cape of Good Hope sign, which marks the southwestern-most point of the African continent.

Notre Dame students visited the Cape of Good Hope, the most southwestern tip of the African continent, during the South Africa summer program. This experience combined cultural exploration with academic inquiry into the nation's history, and included visits to significant sites like Robben Island and Table Mountain. Students engaged in discussions on race and identity, gaining firsthand insights into South Africa's complex social landscape.

Group photo of University of Notre Dame students and faculty with Kantipur Engineering College representatives in Nepal, holding a large Notre Dame flag. A welcome banner stands to the left.

A group of Notre Dame students arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal, to begin a five-week program focused on Sustainability and Energy Systems at Kantipur Engineering College. The students will explore Nepal’s culture and religious traditions, engage with local communities, and deepen their understanding of the sustainability and resilience of energy systems and supplies. The program is led by Professor Peter Burns of Notre Dame’s College of Engineering.

Notre Dame students pose with members of the Emberá Quera indigenous community in Panama in front of thatched-roof structures. The sign "EMBERA QUERA" hangs between two of the structures. The community members wear colorful skirts and red floral headbands. The Notre Dame students wear matching light green t-shirts.

Notre Dame students in the inaugural Panama Summer: Migration & Sustainability program pose with members of the Emberá Quera indigenous community during their visit to the Darién province. Traveling by piragua (wooden canoe) along the Gatún River, the students engaged directly with the Emberá to learn about their sustainable development practices amid ongoing migration challenges. The Panama program requires that students collaborate with local communities to solve issues through the use of human-centered design principles.

South Bend

Group photo of ten individuals, including one man in a suit, posing on a stage in front of a NAFSA: Association of International Educators banner. They are wearing various business attire and conference badges.

Traveling from South Bend and São Paulo, thirteen members of the Notre Dame Global team gathered at the NAFSA: Association of International Educators conference in San Diego to celebrate and officially receive the Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization. This award recognizes excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses.

Beijing

Notre Dame Beijing welcomed this year's Global Professional Experience (GPE) students to the city and organized a welcome lunch with the ND Beijing Alumni Club and its president, Ms. Jing He. To help them learn more about Chinese history and culture, GPE students took part in their first cultural activity—a visit to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.

São Paulo

Four people sit around a circular table at a "Study and Research in Brazil" booth.

Thais Burmeister Pires, Director of Notre Dame São Paulo, attended the NAFSA: Association of International Educators Conference in San Diego. In addition to participating in sessions focused on international education, she also networked with Notre Dame's myriad partner institutions to help strengthen collaborative relationships.

Dublin

A man gestures while speaking to a group of people seated at tables. A world map and numerous papers are taped to the wall behind him. A Notre Dame flag stands by a large window.

The Global Partners in Care (GPIC), a Mishawaka-based nonprofit dedicated to enhancing access to hospice and palliative care in over 20 countries around the world, convened their network of international partners at Notre Dame Dublin for its annual conference. GPIC is directed by Lacey Ahern, adjunct assistant professor in Notre Dame’s Eck Institute for Global Health. In Dublin, the group worked to design a tangible framework for addressing barriers to palliative care access, including increasing awareness, workforce development, identifying policy and research gaps, and preparing future leaders.

Hong Kong

The Notre Dame Hong Kong team bid farewell to the semester exchange students and simultaneously welcomed summer study abroad Global Professional Experience (GPE) and Global Research Experience (GRE) students in Hong Kong, as well as real estate students in Singapore. The ND Hong Kong team also met with new students and their parents in Guangzhou, South China.

Mexico

Ten students pose on a staircase holding a large navy and gold Notre Dame flag.

Notre Dame Mexico welcomed ten Notre Dame students to Mexico City for the Global Research Experience (GRE) and Global Professional Experience (GPE) study abroad programs. The students will spend the summer gaining research and professional experience with top institutions in the region, including the American Chamber/Mexico, Co Creando la Innovación y Sustentabilidad Social AC, Comunidad MAPFRE - Universidad Panamericana, ECOM COCOA MÉXICO, Swatch Group México, Dalus Capital, and Instituto Politécnico Nacional.

Mumbai

Ten students hold a University of Notre Dame banner in front of a large, carved, three-headed statue inside a dimly lit cave.

The India Summer and Mumbai Global Professional Experience (GPE) students braved the ferry ride across the Arabian Sea to explore the iconic Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site carved directly into solid basalt rock between the 5th and 8th centuries CE. These ancient temples—crafted using only hammers and chisels—are dedicated primarily to Lord Shiva and feature the famous three-headed “Trimurti” sculpture, symbolizing creation, protection, and destruction.

London

The Notre Dame London residence life team accepted a check on behalf of the Spring 2025 students, who raised money through the Catholic Cup tournament played in London each year. The money was raised for the Cardinal Hume Centre, an organization that supports homeless young people, poorly housed families, and people from the local community with little or no income.

Rome

From the sorrowful passing of Pope Francis to his funeral, and from the anticipation of the white smoke to the first appearance of Pope Leo XIV, May marked a historic moment for Rome and for the entire Notre Dame community.

Jerusalem

Group of people sitting around a conference table, looking at a large screen displaying cardinals in red robes. Travel photos and a clock decorate the wall.

Dr. Daniel Schwake, executive director of Notre Dame Jerusalem, spoke to language program participants about the Christian communities in the Holy Land, exemplifying this through the story of the Tantur campus, which has a rich history tied to its institutions and the meaningful stories of the people who have cared for it over the years.