UW Selected for Thailand Partnerships Program

The University of Wyoming is one of 48 U.S. and Thai higher education institutions selected by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok to participate in the prestigious International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP) focusing on Thailand.

For the next nine months, this group will work on developing and enhancing international higher education partnerships between the two countries. Leading the effort for UW are Shelley Jewell, education abroad director, and Kehli Hazlett, assistant director of programming and engagement, both with UW’s Global Engagement Office. They will travel to Thailand in April.

As the U.S. and Thailand celebrate more than 190 years of diplomatic relations, IIE and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok partnered to offer higher education institutions in the two countries an opportunity to increase their bilateral engagement through academic cooperation. While student mobility between the two countries has been relatively strong throughout the years -- Thailand has historically been the top destination in Southeast Asia for U.S. study abroad -- there are many opportunities to increase international activities such as student and scholar mobility, joint research, joint teaching, short-term study abroad programs and internships.

IAPP was developed by IIE’s Center for International Partnership in 2009 as international academic partnerships were on the rise, but without professional guidance or strategy. At the core of the program is a strategic planning process that guides participating institutions in developing a plan for engagement with an eye to sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships. Since its inception, the program has worked with more than 350 higher education institutions and 13 partner countries, including Norway, Cuba, Greece, New Zealand and India.

“International partnerships are a critical component of any higher education institution’s strategic plan today. IAPP seeks to contribute to that strategic planning process, and this year’s focus on Thailand will be an excellent opportunity for both U.S. and Thai institutions,” says IIE Center for International Partnerships Director Clare Overmann.

The selected cohort represents a broad range of higher education institutions in both countries. The U.S. cohort includes community colleges, state colleges and universities, and private institutions from 15 states. The Thai cohort includes a diverse group of institutions located across the country focusing on areas such as teaching, agriculture, engineering and community engagement.

In the April trip, U.S. participants will join a high-level delegation to Thailand to visit potential partners; learn firsthand about the Thai higher education landscape; and meet with a range of entities that play important roles in higher education cooperation, such as the U.S. Embassy, EducationUSA and the Thai Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

For more information about IAPP, visit: www.iie.org/iapp.