THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will highlight its international students and study abroad programs during International Education Week activities Nov. 17 through 21 on its Thousand Oaks campus.

Cal Lutheran’s observance of the week, which is a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education, will include a World Fair and International Chapel Service.

The fair will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, in University Plaza. Held in conjunction with the ELS Educational Services English-language school on campus, the celebration will feature food, entertainment and displays from cultures represented at Cal Lutheran.

The worship service will be held at 11:25 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, in Samuelson Chapel. Students will carry flags for each of the countries represented at Cal Lutheran.

The number of foreign nationals taking classes this fall is 483. One in eight Cal Lutheran students today is a citizen of another country.

The university’s foreign students come from 47 countries, an increase from last year. The largest sending countries are China, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Taiwan, Austria, India, Thailand, Japan, Sweden and Russia. Other countries include Ethiopia, Israel, Kuwait, Mongolia, Pakistan and the Republic of Croatia.

The week also highlights study abroad experiences offered by Cal Lutheran. There are program options in more than 80 countries around the world. Each year, nearly 200 students participate in semester, summer and yearlong programs and faculty-led seminars. Twenty-six percent of the 2014 graduating class studied abroad or participated in a travel seminar during their time at Cal Lutheran. The university is working to increase that figure to 40 percent by 2020.

University Plaza is outside Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, which is on the north side of Olsen Road between Campus Road and Mountclef Boulevard. Samuelson Chapel is located at 165 Chapel Lane.

All activities are free and open to the public. Cal Lutheran’s Office of Multicultural Programs and International Student Services are sponsoring the events. For more information, call Daniel Lawrence at lawrenc@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3489.