Seminars on global issues are conducted on Saturdays, many of them at local colleges and universities. Seminars are co-sponsored by the Liberty Partnership Program of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development - New York University.

Seminars focus on critical issues and draw on a variety of local and national experts. In addition to the seminars, leadership workshops build service learning, planning, public speaking, fundraising and other skills.

During seminars IYLI Fellows and other student participants examine current and historical social and political issues and the ways that individuals and groups have mobilized to address them. Past presenters have included representatives from the Peace Corps, World Bank, United Nations, Columbia University School for International Affairs, Doctors without Borders and Positive Planet/Brick by Brick.

Seminars also serve the dual purpose of helping to prepare students for the academic rigor of college and providing insight into a range of career fields represented by presenters and experts.

Leadership training builds activism and advocacy skills and prepares Fellows for public service internships.

During seminars, as well as the overseas study programs, IYLI helps students develop a holistic framework for the analysis of international issues and events. The Framework is useful for going beyond the superficial treatment of global issues and international events as usually portrayed on television or in the newspapers. IYLI’s framework of history, culture, geography and environment provides a powerful means for better understanding how events occurring in other places affect our communities and strategies and actions that we can learn from to respond to our own local challenges.