Executive Director Dr. Roopa Rawjee and Director of International Admissions Kayla Carroll from the Office of International Engagement (OIE) were joined by College of Business (COB) Dean Dr. Ajay Samant and Associate Dean Dr. Terry Noel for a visit to universities in India and Thailand. College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Dr. Heather Dillaway joined the group in Thailand.
The group started their visit in Mumbai meeting with international partners before they travelled to Jaipur, India. Jaipur is the home of Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ), one of five universities in the Manipal Education and Medical Group which has been a leader in education, research, and health care in India for more than 60 years. MUJ offers undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple disciplines including engineering, applied sciences, humanities, fine art, and more.
“We are thrilled to renew our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MUJ,” Rawjee said. “It will be a great experience for our students and faculty to come to Jaipur, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The walled city, founded in 1727 on a plain and built in a grid pattern, is one of India’s oldest cities with original architectural features and is home to the historical astronomical observation site Jantar Mantar. The wealth of programs offered at MUJ—coupled with Jaipur being a city filled with history—make it a promising partner for future study abroad programs.
“My first trip to India was a pulsing, buzzing, sublime adventure,” Noel said of his impression of India. “Nothing I knew about India before could have prepared me for the wonderful sense that things are HAPPENING—all the time and everywhere.
“I felt an energy of love and respect from the people, a sense of progress and hope in the cities we visited, and the certainty that somehow, someday, I will go there again.”
From India, the group traveled to Thailand and first met with officials from Srinakharinwirot University (SWU). SWU warmly welcomed the group and discussed the SWU visit to Illinois in April. The two universities have a long-standing relationship with several Illinois State alumni in leadership roles at SWU. Both universities look forward to continuing the relationship and looking for ways to expand it.
“The OIE is very pleased about the SWU visit,” Rawjee said. “We continue to explore the synergies between ISU colleges, and we are in the process of identifying specific goals and objectives by college.”
While in Thailand, the group also engaged in conversations with Thammasat Business School, Chulalongkorn University, and Sasin School of Management to expand current relations and create new partnerships.
“Bangkok is a thriving, vibrant, and welcoming metropolis,” Samant said of the experience in Thailand. “I was impressed by the quality of the universities we visited there and the enthusiasm I saw for academic collaboration.”
Dillaway also was delighted with the trip.
“I was energized by how many partnering opportunities exist for Illinois State,” Dillaway said. “We had very productive meetings with three different universities in Bangkok, Thailand, and all seem ready to partner with us for the benefit of both students and faculty. I look forward to making headway on specific agreements to initiate collaborative activities.”
