For his first international co-op, lifelong New England resident Chris Turney embarked on a journey to work for IBM in Bangalore, India. Though it may have been out of his comfort zone, the business major met the opportunity with passion and curiosity.

“I needed to challenge myself to get the most out of my co-op, and I wanted to leverage this into greater opportunities,” said Turney, ’14.

This spring, he worked in the IBM operations department, where he was exposed to a new culture and received valuable experience by working alongside managers on projects in several different departments.

Turney was one of four Northeastern students who shared their international experiences with fellow classmates on Tuesday night at “Thinking and Working Globally.” The event was one of the many programs and activities offered by Northeastern as part of International Education Week (IEW), which serves as an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.

IEW at Northeastern supports the university’s mission to create and translate knowledge to meet global and societal needs. It is cosponsored by a number of departments, offices and programs, including Alumni Relations, Co-op Connections, Housing and Residential Life, International Co-op, International Affairs, International Student and Scholar Institute (ISSI), the Office of International Study Programs, Global Pathways and NU Global.

The Tuesday evening program gave a small group of students a chance to learn about cultural immersion, the cost of living, interaction with foreign coworkers and how to make the most of their experiences abroad.

Attending the event helped senior Kathia Teran prepare for her upcoming international co-op. In the spring, the Bolivia native will be working for Cyclomundo, a cycling tour operator in Gaillard, France, which is close to the Swiss border.

Teran said she hopes the experience will help her assess where she wants to work after graduation by comparing the work environments in the United States and abroad. As she put it, “I want to see what my work options are.”

Today’s IEW events at Northeastern include the International Opportunities Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Curry Student Center indoor quad; a Study Abroad Information Session at 1 p.m. in Curry Student Center room 344; an International Co-op Information Session at 3 p.m. in the basement of Stearns, room 12; and ISSI International Film Night at 5:30 p.m. in 405 Ell Hall.

The activities on campus are part of the larger International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. IEW began in 2000, and is celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide.