Josh Davis has been named interim associate vice chancellor for international engagement and global strategies.

The appointment, announced Dec. 14 by Donde Plowman, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer, is effective Jan. 2 pending approval of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

In this role Davis will serve as senior international officer and oversee Education Abroad, Global Strategies, the International Student and Scholar Office, and Programs in English as a Second Language. Building on the progress the university has made in recent years in extending its global reach, Davis will work closely with academic leaders to expand programs and opportunities for students and faculty.

Davis has served as assistant vice chancellor for global engagement in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the three years where he was instrumental in developing strategic partnerships with Brazil, Rwanda and China. Davis will continue to provide leadership to IANR’s global efforts during the interim period.

“I am excited to have Josh step into this interim role and look forward to his leadership in collaborating across campus as we develop strategies for taking Nebraska to the world and bringing the world to Nebraska,” Plowman said.

Davis brings significant international experience in global higher education, law, policy and foreign affairs, which gives him a unique perspective for this role. Prior to IANR, he served at the University of Nebraska system level and provided strategic direction for global engagement efforts across all four campuses.

Before coming to Nebraska, he served at the U.S. Department of State, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and in the U.S. Senate as a foreign policy adviser and Brookings Institution Legislative Fellow. He is a first generation student who received his undergraduate degree and law degree from the University of Akron.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to further the university’s land-grant mission of education, research and extension around the world,” Davis said. “An important component of that is helping students — our future leaders — learn how to thrive in our increasingly interconnected world and enabling our faculty to collaborate with other educators on an international level.”

The appointment is a one-year interim position. Decisions about a search will be made in the coming months.