Laforge signs international agreementDelta State University is proud to announce recent developments in four international partnerships with three universities in Poland, Russia and Bulgaria and a secondary school in Poland.
Christy Riddle, executive director of International Student Services and the Student Success Center, said the initial agreements have been signed and final specifics would soon be fulfilled.
“We are very excited to finalize these agreements. These international partnerships will offer the opportunity for our Delta State faculty and students and their faculty and students to travel, teach and study abroad through various exchange programs,” said Riddle. “This is a win-win for Delta State because the students traveling abroad will gain a greater understanding of global issues, and it will also expose our on-campus students to other cultures.”
President William N. LaForge has been pushing for increased international relations since taking office in April.
“I am very pleased that we are establishing student and faculty exchange programs with universities in Russia, Poland and Bulgaria, as well as a a high school in Poland,” said LaForge. “This will increase our intellectual exchange, cross-cultural education and potential institutional growth.
“Having foreign students and faculty on campus will allow us to ‘rub elbows’ with colleagues from around the world and will bring new perspectives to our learning environment.”
The University of National World Economy in Sofia, Bulgaria has agreed to establish a working relationship of cooperation in the areas of: students exchange and internships; academic faculty and staff exchange; mutual recognition and transfer of credits; joint academic projects; and common research, conferences and other academic collaborations as identified.
Реrm State University in Perm, Russia has agreed to develop the following areas: collaborate to improve the educational process by using educational technologies, including information and media technologies, the Internet, and computing platforms, for undergraduate and graduate students and faculty members of the universities; seek to develop and enhance multicultural and intercultural competencies; and collaborate to develop academic scholarship and applied research in fields of study appropriate to interests of students and faculty of the universities.
The John Paul II Catholic University in Lublin, Poland will establish: increase educational, cultural and scientific relationship through the sharing and transfer of educational materials, publications, course literature and instructional resources, including electronically transmitted information; exchange of faculty members, staff and research scholars who could seek ways by which they could participate in and contribute to cultural and educational programs developed by both institutions; develop overseas study programs for their students, faculty members, staff and other community members; and organize joint academic activities such as conferences and seminars.
Maria Sklodowska-Curie Secondary School in Gorzow Wielkopolski, Poland has agreed to focus on: student shared learning experiences; academic faculty and staff collaboration; joint academic projects; and common research, conferences and other academic collaborations as identified.
Riddle added that the agreements are a big boost to the already-expanding Student Success Center.
“The DSU Student Success Center was established in 2012 and we have recently added International Student Services as a new division in the Center,” she said. “We’re very excited about this addition because we are creating a one-stop resource for international student development.
“We focus on prospective international students through recruiting and admissions and also help ensure that DSU is a ‘home away from home’ for our current international students.”
To learn more about international programs at Delta State, contact Riddle at 662-846-4574 or criddle@deltastate.edu.
