Gopher Gateway: Innovation & Discovery in London

Explore the rich history of innovation in the United Kingdom by tracing its evolution from the Industrial Revolution to its current status as a global leader in technology, science, and other sectors. Meet with London based institutions engaged in innovation focused work, tour local organizations implementing sustainable urban planning practices, and visit museums to learn about the history of advancements in technology, medicine, and public health. Expand your perspective on innovation outside of London by ending the program in picturesque Cambridge to learn about world renowned research.

This program is for incoming UMTC first-year students that will have their first semester on-campus Fall 2026.

The Learning Abroad Center provides you with housing for this program. All program housing is vetted by the LAC and on-site partners.

You will stay in a hotel in London. Hotel rooms in London will be shared with one other student participating in the program. 

Some group meals are included in the program cost. Group meals will include a welcome meal, a farewell dinner, one group lunch during the program, and daily breakfast at the hotels. You are responsible for all other meals. Suggestions for meals and dining options will be provided by on-site staff and program leaders.

Program activities and visits may include:

• Innovation company visit—On-site meeting with a London organization engaged in innovation-focused work.
• Sustainability tour—Guided visit to examine large-scale urban sustainability planning in practice.
• School of Advanced Study site visit—Hosted visit to a London-based academic research institution.
• Science Museum—visit the national science and technology museum.
• Curated walking tour—Guided walk focusing on a contemporary district of redevelopment or technology growth in London.
• Wellcome Collection guided tour—Curated visit to a museum known for exhibitions on medicine, the body, and public health, exploring how science, culture, and ethics are presented to general audiences.
• Greenwich day trip—explore the historic maritime area including the Cutty Sark ship and the Royal Observatory.
• Cambridge day trip—Travel outside of London to visit a health or research hub and King's Chapel. You will also a experience a guided city walk and punting along the river Cam.
• Ride the London Eye—An opportunity for a panoramic observation of the city and river corridor.
• Borough Market/Southbank & Shakespeare Walk—guided walking tour using the Southbank corridor to trace how the former entertainment district of Shakespeare's London was redeveloped into a designed cultural and commercial zone, illustrating how cities repurpose past infrastructures to drive contemporary innovation in tourism, food economies, and cultural branding.
• Black History Tour of Brixton—Guided exploration of Brixton to consider Black resistance, community governance and cultural production as drivers of urban change.
• UK Parliament Tour—Guided visit inside the Houses of Parliament.
• Globe Theatre—Experience a Shakespeare play in this reconstructed performance space to study how heritage is actively rebuilt and re-staged for contemporary use.
• West End performance—Evening tickets to a professional London theater production.
• Ghosts of London Tour—Nighttime tour featuring stories of London's haunted history.

To start the process or if you have questions, visit the Disability Resource Center's Get Connected page and follow registration options and choose a path. The Gold option involves meeting with an access consultant and is recommended if you plan to study abroad.

The Learning Abroad Center works with Village Travel, a local travel agency, to arrange a coordinated flight for program participants. You and your classmates will all travel together with the program leader. Group flight information is typically available by the program application deadline, if not before. Flight details will be shared with you after you confirm your place in the program.

Contact your Learning Abroad Center program contact, Anna DeWitt at [email protected] for more information.

This focus of this course is designed to allow you opportunities to examine: 

• the role of innovation in addressing societal challenges and how environments can foster space for creative thinking and problem-solving
• the social, economic, cultural, historical, and political conditions which have led to the recognition of the United Kingdom as a global leader in innovation
• similarities and differences between the United States and United Kingdom in their approach to fostering innovative and creative practices within their societies
• your level of intercultural competence and strategies to increase your level of intercultural competence

You will also:

• Socialize as global professionals who understand that human interaction and culture are relevant to achieving professional goals
• Discover and connect with the University of Minnesota campus and community
• Think critically, analyze topics, and appreciate diverse perspectives through pre-departure coursework, studying abroad, and guided reflection
• Function as an effective team member by utilizing personal strengths in a group setting
• Develop an understanding of the importance of future international and intercultural learning
• Understand the role of creativity, innovation, discovery, and expression across disciplines
• Acquire skills for effective citizenship and lifelong learning

This program is led by Nikki Letawsky Shultz, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and International Programs in the College of Biological Sciences. Nikki has led many learning abroad seminars, including multiple first-year programs.

Fall 2026

Application Open Date: November 1, 2025
Application Deadline: May 1, 2026

Confirmation Deadline: May 14, 2026

The Learning Abroad Center facilitates pre-departure orientation sessions in collaboration with your program leader. It is your responsibility to know the information shared at these orientations.

Orientation consists of several sessions, all of which are created to support your preparation to go abroad:

• Online Health & Safety Orientation: This asynchronous module can be accessed in your LAC checklist and is mandatory.
• Online LAC Seminar Orientation Module: This asynchronous module can be accessed in your LAC checklist and is mandatory. The discussion post is due before your in-person LAC Program Orientation meeting.
• Online LAC Seminar Pre-departure Orientations: These will be scheduled over the summer and will be a way for you to connect with others in your cohort, LAC staff, and your program leader. These meetings will cover academic requirements and preparation, finances and budgeting, final travel and program logistics, cultural knowledge, and more. Watch your email for details.
• LAC Program Orientation: Final program details and important UofM information will be covered during this meeting, held the day before departure. You will also meet your cohort and program leader in person. Parents/family members are welcome to join an optional in-person session designated for parents.

The cost of participation includes group airfare, housing, daily breakfast, some additional meals, course-related excursions, site visits, and tours, airport transfers, in-country transportation for all course related activities, international medical, security, and evacuation insurance, program administration, and one night on UMTC campus during pre-departure orientation. You must also budget for passport and passport photos, a few meals, spending money, and miscellaneous living expenses.

CFANS Gopher Gateway Scholarship

An automatic one-time scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded for the first 20 CFANS students to confirm on any one of the Gopher Gateway 2026 programs. Specific questions about processing of the funds should be directed to Holly Klinger at [email protected].

Additional fee reductions and or scholarships might be possible.

The program fee portion of your expenses can not be included in your financial aid package. Depending on what financial aid you accept you may be eligible for financial aid, which includes loans, to use towards your program fee. Please schedule a Gopher Gateway Financial Aid Preview Meeting to discuss funding options before you confirm in the program. 

Visit Financial Information for more information on scholarships and financing learning abroad opportunities. 

Eligibility

This program is for incoming UMTC first-year students that will have their first semester on-campus Fall 2026. You must be 18 years old by the in-person orientation date (August 22, 2026) in order to participate.

After you submit your application, you will receive an email notification confirming that your application was received.

1. After your application checklist is complete, your application is reviewed by our program team. You will be notified of an acceptance decision by email.
2. You will be admitted to the program once you have a complete program application and have confirmed your enrollment with the University (UMTC).
3. Once admitted to the program, you can confirm by submitting the Confirmation & Payment Agreement form. Once confirmed, you will have additional required forms to complete before participating in the program.
4. If you decide not to continue with the application process, log into the online application system and submit a Cancel Request.