Sept. 4, 2012
Samantha Morley
[email protected]
UCCS has been granted a special opportunity to become part of the International Academic Partnership Program, which seeks to improve higher education in India.
UCCS and four other colleges throughout the United States – Arizona State University, Portland State University, University of North Carolina, Charlotte and Washington and Jefferson College – were selected to participate in the program.
While the application process is short, every word counts. Each university must fill out a survey, a statement of interest of at least 200 words explaining why it deserves the opportunity and three short answer questions of no more than 200 words.
The entire process must be taken under careful consideration, especially since the number of available slots has decreased from previous years, offering 10 spaces last year and reducing it to five this year.
“We were selected based on our application,” said Anthony Shull, director at the Office of Global Programs.
Shull was charged with filling out the application for UCCS and submitting it to the Institute of International Education (IIE). The application was similar to an examination, Shull said.
Once an organization becomes part of the IAPP, it must attend a series of activities, including building a faculty workforce, developing a strategic plan, participating in several webinars and taking a one-week tour of the designated country.
India, along with Vietnam, Brazil and Turkey, is at the top of the list in “Open Doors,” a report published by the IIE that gives statistics about the flow of students to and from the U.S.
UCCS hopes to strengthen the bonds with those four countries in an effort to bring more international students into the community.
Even though the IAPP has selected the five colleges, students will not notice the results of the program until mid-2014. Schools must meet requirements to establish necessary resources at their institution.
Still, Shull is excited about how the program will benefit the UCCS community. “It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “We all – the entire campus community – should feel very proud.”