In Spring 2016, Emporia State University established new partnerships with higher education institutions from India, Finland and Colombia. The new partnerships respond to discipline-specific and ESU’s regional strategic goals.
In India, ESU and the School of Business signed agreements with three management schools: IMI-Kolkata, BIMTECH and TAPMI (AACSB-accredited). The new partnerships, in combination with existing partner SMS Varanasi will provide opportunities for academic cooperation with faculty members in research, professional development and publications. In addition, Business students will have the opportunity to engage in short-term exchanges and faculty-led study abroad aimed at studying India as an emergent economy and distinct business culture.
In Finland, ESU signed agreements with the University of Helsinki and University of Jyväskylä. The world-renowned universities with distinct education programs will help advance The Teachers College’s internationalization goals. These agreements open the opportunity for students and faculty exchanges. In addition, students in The Teachers College will attend University of Jyväskylä’s International Summer Program to immerse in the Finnish educational system. In the future, it is expected that the new partnership will lead to new student-teaching opportunities for students completing requirements toward teaching certification.
Finally, ESU established academic cooperation with institutions in Colombia. ESU and Universidad de la Sabana in Chia, Colombia, will exchange students and faculty members. In addition, Universidad de la Sabana will host in summer 2016 a group of ESU students led by faculty members from the Department of English, Modern Languages and Journalism.
The short-term program will pursue full Spanish language immersion allowing students to attend academic courses, advance Spanish language skills and live with homestays. To advance recruitment goals, ESU signed an agreement with the Colombian government agency ICETEX. Through this new partnership, Colombian students will be able to study at ESU for graduate programs and IEP while having access to student loans offered through this agency.