Dear all,

I hope each of you is doing well and you are enjoying the arrival of longer days, spring flowers, and warmer temperatures. It’s my pleasure to report that our delegation visit to India from March 23-28 was a resounding success. Iowa has a long history of welcoming international students from India to our campus, and we greatly enjoyed meeting with alumni in the Pune area. Reconnecting with global Hawkeyes serves as a perfect complement to strengthening our institutional relationships. In our case, a group of UI faculty and administrators from the College of Engineering; the Tippie College of Business; the School of Art, Art History, and Design; and International Programs spent four days at Maharashtra Institute of Technology—Art, Design, & Technology (MIT-ADT) in the city of Pune to extend and deepen our existing relationship with that university. MIT-ADT Pune has been a key partner of the UI for several years, with colleagues from their campus visiting Iowa twice since 2020. It was now our turn to find ways for our faculty and students to get to know one another and collaborate on project-based work. MIT-ADT Pune is a strategic partner for Iowa and is well poised to help us build programming because of the quality of the faculty and students as well as their focus on interdisciplinarity.

As a country, India has a growing economy and is investing more in higher education. Consequently, it is seeking stronger partnerships with institutions abroad. MIT-ADT Pune is a private institution looking to build its reputation worldwide. To this end, our delegation gave an introductory panel on what the UI has to offer, toured MIT-ADT’s design, innovation, and engineering facilities, and met with faculty and administrators to discuss building a future together. There are promising leads regarding pipeline programs, virtual and in-person interactions, as well as student and faculty mobility. What is particularly impressive about MIT-ADT Pune is its emphasis on applied learning and the practical nature of its courses and degree programs.

Our trip culminated with our participation in MIT-ADT’s 2nd Annual Symposium on the Internationalization of Higher Education (SIHE 2025). I was privileged to give a plenary talk on educational and research opportunities at Iowa and the U.S. in general, which was followed by a larger panel discussion by colleagues from the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia on the state of international education and best practices on establishing and maintaining global collaborations. In addition to MIT-ADT Pune, Iowa’s connections to India include initiatives with the Sehgal Foundation, the Ophthalmology Department in the Carver College of Medicine, the South Asian Studies Program in IP, and the UI College of Pharmacy. India’s presence on the world stage will only continue to grow, and IP looks forward to advancing these efforts in the years ahead.

All the best, 

Russ

International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement.  IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.