University Communications

UCLA International: Located in one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, UCLA offers the richest array of programs in all of higher education for international, cultural and ethnic studies and research, attracting approximately 2,000 international students from more than 125 countries each year. More than 500 UCLA faculty teach in excess of 1,600 courses with international themes, and enrollment in these courses exceeds 50,000 per year. UCLA faculty teach nearly 100 different languages, from Arabic to Zulu.

Research focus: UCLA's Brain Research Institute, the oldest in the United States, has been a leader in its field since it was founded in 1959. It has more than 200 scientist members from departments throughout the university and from other institutions. www.bri.ucla.edu The School of Dentistry was one of the first in the nation to create a Dental Research Institute, which houses faculty members dedicated to research in areas related to oral medicine, including AIDS, substance abuse, wound healing, oral cancer, periodontal disease, neurobiology and immunology. www.dent.ucla.edu

Stroke treatment: The UCLA Stroke Center and Brain Attack Team are at the forefront in research and treatment for stroke, the third-leading cause of death in the United States. It is the only stroke center in the country with an emergency neurology program. www.stroke.ucla.edu

Nurse practitioners: With the largest acute/critical-care nurse-practitioner program in the western U.S. and the first established on the West Coast, UCLA is a leader in preparing students for the expanding role that advanced-practice nurses will assume in 21st-century health-care systems. www.nursing.ucla.edu

Teaching the teachers: The Graduate School of Education & Information Studies is home to the Corinne A. Seeds University Elementary School, California's only university-based laboratory elementary school for pre-K-6. UES is a leader in educational innovation and is an integral part of UCLA's Urban Education Studies Center, which examines issues relevant to the education of children in multicultural urban communities. GSE&IS also houses the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing (CRESST), a partnership of seven research centers around the country supported by a multimillion-dollar federal grant. CRESST focuses on the assessment of educational quality, with special emphasis given to the role technology plays in testing evaluation. CRESST is working with school districts and other organizations around the country and the world on problems associated with the design and use of assessment systems. www.gseis.ucla.edu

Lifetime learning: Whether it's a career-changing certificate program or an interest in a new field of study, UCLA Extension has helped change the lives of millions of people over the years. Established in 1917, Extension enrolls more than 100,000 students annually and is the oldest and longest-serving division of UCLA in Southern California. Its first courses were language classes for nurses headed to the front lines during World War I. www.unex.ucla.edu

B.J. Violett is a writer in Los Angeles.

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