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Section 1

Welcome to the Instructor

1.1 Overview of the Overall Academic Experience

Welcome to the Global Link Program! One of the most distinctive academic pathways in international higher education today. As a faculty member teaching a Global Link course, you are not simply delivering course content; you are actively shaping the academic trajectory of students who are simultaneously enrolled in two-degree programs at once: one at your home institution and one at Arizona State University (ASU).

Global Link programs are, at their core, connected programs. They are designed so that the courses your students take at your institution are academically recognized and transferred to ASU as part of an approved Plan of Study. Depending on the pathway, students may pursue an Undergraduate Dual Degree, earning two bachelor's degrees, one from your institution and one from ASU, or a Graduate Dual Degree, in which they can transfer up to twelve graduate credits toward an accelerated master's degree at ASU. In some cases, students may even complete up to 40% of their master's degree while still enrolled as undergraduates.

Undergraduate Dual Degree

Students from Partner Institutions will be able to obtain TWO undergraduate degrees, one from the partner institution and one from ASU.

Graduate Dual Degree

Students from Partner Institutions will have the choice to transfer up to 12 credits (4 courses) towards an accelerated master’s pathway or a graduate dual degree program.

Accelerated Master’s Degree

Students from Partner Institution will be able to accelerate 30-40% of their master’s degree during their undergraduate study at the local institution. Students will receive an undergraduate degree from the partner institution and a Master’s degree from ASU, which can be completed in an accelerated fashion.

This means that the academic experience you provide in your classroom has direct implications for your students' futures at ASU, including their credit transfers, academic standing, and readiness to succeed in a US-based university environment. Every lecture, every assignment, and every discussion contributes to a larger educational journey that may take students across continents.

“These programs are a great differentiator, a very positive contribution to their employability, to the development of their global mindset, and hopefully to their future professional careers.”

The Global Link experience is Powered by ASU, which means it is grounded in ASU's New American University principles — a commitment to access, excellence, and impact. Your course exists within this broader ecosystem, and as an instructor, you are entrusted with upholding both the academic standards and the transformative spirit that define the ASU experience.

Section 1.2

Your Role as a Global Link Ambassador

Your role in this program extends well beyond that of a course instructor. You are a Global Link Ambassador, a key figure in your students' transition from your home institution to ASU and to careers that may unfold on a global stage.

What Does It Mean to Be a Global Link Ambassador?

A Global Link Ambassador is an educator who understands that their course is one part of a larger international academic experience. You hold responsibility not only for the quality of what you teach, but also for the integrity, continuity, and global relevance of your students' academic journey.

As a Global Link Ambassador, your responsibilities include the following:

Protecting the transferability of credits

The learning outcomes and assessment criteria in your course must reflect those approved by ASU. Modifications that impact core learning objectives may not be implemented without written agreement.

Upholding academic standards

Your course must adhere to ASU's academic integrity standards, design principles, and syllabus requirements. These are not optional guidelines — they are the backbone of what makes credit transfer possible.

Fostering a global mindset

You are helping students develop the intellectual and professional competencies they will need at ASU and beyond. This means designing learning experiences that are rigorous, culturally responsive, and forward-looking.

Serving as a bridge

You represent the link between your institution's academic culture and ASU's. In many ways, you are the first ASU experience your students will have — and that experience matters.

Supporting student continuity

Your course is not an endpoint. Students will carry what they learn with them into their ASU coursework. Your investment in their success here is an investment in their success there.

This guide has been designed to support you in all of these responsibilities. It is a practical tool, but also a statement of purpose: to help you teach not just a course but a chapter in your students' lives.

Section 1.3

A Message on Academic Excellence, Integrity, and Commitment

Arizona State University places immense value on the research and scholarship of its students and faculty and is deeply committed to a culture of academic integrity and scholarly ethics. As a partner institution and a faculty member in a Global Link pathway, you are welcomed into that culture and asked to help foster it.

Academic integrity is not merely a policy requirement. It is a foundational value that makes the Global Link credential meaningful. When your students transfer to ASU, they join a community where integrity is expected at every level. If your course and the habits of mind it cultivates reflect that same standard, your students will arrive prepared to thrive.

“No matter what stage of your educational or professional career pursuits, acting with integrity is a cornerstone of leadership and good citizenship.” ASU Academic Integrity Principles

Academic dishonesty, whether intentional or not, has consequences that extend far beyond the classroom. It impacts the student, the academic community, and the future employers and clients that students will one day serve. As a Global Link instructor, you are in a position to model and enforce standards that protect all of these stakeholders.

We ask for your commitment to the following principles throughout the term:

  • Teach with purpose. Every element of your course should be designed to help students genuinely learn, not merely to complete requirements.
  • Set clear expectations. Use the syllabus, the Academic Integrity Agreement, and the Syllabus Quiz as tools to establish a shared understanding of standards from day one.
  • Proactively address integrity. Do not wait for a violation to discuss academic honesty. Integrate it into your course culture from the first week.
  • Stay aligned. Do not modify core learning objectives or assessment criteria without following the Global Link Modification Notification Process and receiving written approval.
  • Reach out for support. The Global Link team and your institution's program director are here to help. When in doubt, ask, do not assume.

ASU Honor Code Student Commitment

“We, the students of Arizona State University, adopt this code as an affirmation of our commitment to academic integrity... We promise to refrain from academic dishonesty. We pledge to act with integrity and honesty and to promote these values among our peers.”

Your students are making a commitment. So are you. Together, that commitment is what makes the Global Link experience worth having.

Section 1.4

Connecting Your Course to the Powered by ASU Experience

The phrase 'Powered by ASU' is more than just a branding slogan. It represents a meaningful academic and institutional connection: your institution's programs and the courses they contain are aligned with and academically associated with Arizona State University's curricula, standards, and values. ASU is recognized as one of the most innovative universities in the United States.

This connection has practical implications for how your course is designed and delivered:

Approved outcomes

Your syllabus must reflect ASU-approved learning outcomes. The institution may enrich and contextualize these outcomes, but the core ASU learning objectives must be preserved and demonstrably met.

Aligned assessments

Your assessments must align with those learning outcomes. Modifications to assessments are permitted only when they continue to measure the same competencies ASU has defined for the course.

Academic ecosystem

Your course content and materials are part of the ASU intellectual ecosystem. Materials derived from ASU content are subject to copyright protections and derivative work policies outlined in the agreement between your institution and ASU.

Transfer readiness

Your students' performance in your course will be evaluated for transfer credit to ASU. Consistency, rigor, and transparency in your grading practices are essential.

Being Powered by ASU means your students can earn an internationally recognized credential, but only if their academic experience meets the standard required. You are responsible for maintaining that alignment, and this guide is your main resource to ensure it.

Think of your course not as a standalone unit, but as Chapter One of your student's ASU journey. What you teach today is the foundation they will build upon at ASU tomorrow.

Section 2

Purpose Statement

2.1 Purpose of This Guide

This Instructor Guide has been developed to serve as the authoritative operational and philosophical reference for all faculty members, guest instructors, and course assistants teaching within a Global Link pathway at a Cintana Alliance member institution. It is designed to be consulted before, during, and after the term — not only as a technical checklist, but as a companion to your practice as an educator in this unique cross-institutional program.

Faculty of Record

Primary instructors responsible for course delivery and grade submission.

Guest Instructors

Subject-matter experts invited to lead specific modules or sessions within an approved course.

Course Assistants

Teaching assistants, tutors, and support personnel who facilitate discussions, grade assignments, or assist with course logistics.

Regardless of your specific role, this guide addresses the shared responsibilities of everyone involved in delivering a Global Link course: maintaining academic integrity, adhering to the syllabus and ASU-approved learning outcomes, ensuring the course is ready before the term begins, and supporting student success throughout the term.

2.2 How to Use This Guide

This guide is organized for both sequential reading and rapid reference. You do not need to read it cover to cover before your first class, but we strongly recommend reviewing all sections before the term launch.

If you are a returning instructor and simply need to verify your course setup before a new term, you may go directly to the Quick-Start Checklist. If you are new to the Global Link program, we strongly recommend reading this guide in full before your course begins.

2.3 Guide Navigation

To be determined

Section 3

Quick-Start Checklist Course Readiness Verification

Use the checklist below to verify that your course is fully prepared before the term begins, and to maintain alignment throughout the term.

This checklist is designed to be printed and used as a working document. Check each item only when you have personally verified its completion.
This checklist does not replace your institution's course review processes — it supplements them. All items marked as required must be completed before student access is enabled.

Phase 1: Pre-Term Preparation

Complete all items in this phase before the first day of the term.

Course Home Page & LMS Setup

0 of 6 completed

A Final Note

You Are Not Teaching Alone

The Global Link program is a collaborative endeavor. You are supported by your institution's program leadership, by the Cintana Alliance team, and by ASU's Global Link office. The standards in this guide exist not to constrain you, but to protect your students — to ensure that the work they do in your classroom counts, carries forward, and opens doors.

As a Global Link Ambassador, you carry a unique responsibility. But you also carry a unique privilege: the opportunity to be part of your students' international academic journey from its very first steps. We thank you for your commitment, your time, and your excellence.

Need Help?

For questions about course modifications, credit transfer eligibility, or Global Link program standards, contact:

globallink@asu.edu

Your institution's designated ACI Program Director for Global Link is also available for consultation before and during the term.

Global Link Program | Powered by ASU | globallink@asu.edu