Chancellor will discuss Thomas Freidman’s best-selling book

UT Chancellor Loren Crabtree will be at Hodges Library on Tuesday, April 18 to talk about The World Is Flat, Thomas Friedman’s bestselling book on globalization. The discussion begins at 12:30 pm and will be held in the Culture Corner of the first floor galleria and is free and open to the public. The event supports the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).

Attendees do not need to be familiar with the book, but to help stimulate conversation the UT Libraries has started a blog that features excerpts from The World is Flat. To read the blog and post comments, visit www.lib.utk.edu/news/readyfortheworld.

The discussion will be simultaneously webcast; please click here to view the webcast.

In the book, Friedman equates the term “flat” with connectedness. He explains that with advances in technology and removal of trade and political barriers it is now possible to do almost anything–communicate, educate, conduct business–with billions of other people across the planet almost instantaneously. The flat world offers unprecedented opportunities for individuals around the globe, but also unprecedented challenges.

“[Friedman] wants to tell you how exciting this new world is, but he also wants you to know you’re going to be trampled if you don’t keep up with it,” Tom Nissley said in a review for Amazon.com.

Chancellor Crabtree also will report on the public implementation phase of UT’s Quality Enhancement Plan: The International and Intercultural Awareness Initiative that strives to engage UT students in the crucial process of becoming educated to live in the global society Friedman, and others, describe.

“Broadening students’ knowledge and experience with cultures other than their own, both domestically and abroad, will better prepare them for success in an ever-changing global society,” said Crabtree. “Increasing international and intercultural awareness in our university community is vital not only for our students growth, but also for our faculty and staff to thrive.”

The planning and reaccreditation phases of the QEP were completed fall semester when UT received its highly positive ten-year reaccreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.