Introduction to the core platform of the USAID HESN Global Center for Food System Innovation, being developed by MSUglobal at Michigan State University

1. Infrastructure Supporting the Mission:
Core Platform
Christine Geith, Ph.D.
Assistant Provost & Executive Director, MSUglobal
Global Food System Symposia
East Lansing, MI
August 23, 2013
msuglobal.msu.edu

2. msuglobal.msu.edu
MSUglobal is a Michigan State University innovation and
strategy hub that assists faculty in creating, facilitating and
implementing impactful projects that lead to new research and
funding opportunities and enhance the reputation of the
university community.
MSUglobal is an entrepreneurial unit in the Office of the Provost
reporting to the Graduate School.

3. msuglobal.msu.edu
Upcoming Events
Sept. 9 – Fanning the Flames – A discussion of MOOCs at
Michigan State University with faculty who have piloted them
Sept. 19 – Reception for artist Toby A. Ten Eyck, “Inspired By
Color”
Sept. 25 – Igniting Innovation – 8:30 a.m. to noon, Kellogg
Center, Lincoln Room

4. GCFSI Core Platform: Opportunity
New web-based technologies and increasing information about
how people learn, connect and share offer an opportunity to
rethink community website and knowledge sharing.
Communities where people want to be a part of growing
knowledge based community contributing to and learning from
each other using tools which are engaging and help people relate
to each other and to the tasks they need to accomplish.

5. GCFSI Core Platform: Goal
We want to build relationships that in turn make it easy to find
and use resources and people and help move a community
ahead in its thinking while uniting and connecting its members
with a united purpose.

7. GCFSI Core Platform: Functions
enable a "home" base environment
build people relationships - find them, contact them, etc.
build resource relationships - find them, use them, add more
enable ways to relate resources and people
enable members to create stuff for other people to use
guiding principles of openness
open source software
open file formats
open educational content
open communities

8. Building on the shoulders of success
Food Safety Knowledge Network (USAID, Hewlett
Foundation, WB, WTO)
http://fskntraining.org/
AgShare (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
http://www.oerafrica.org/agshare

9. GCFSI Core Platform: Goals
1. Knowledge sharing will create robust connections
between our identified audiences and foster idea exchange as a
means of building the GCFSI network strength
2. MSU will lead the HESN in this arena

12. NETWORKS OF
NETWORKS
Strategic Partnerships
Community Engagement