O.P. Jindal Global University and the University of Arizona, USA Sign an Agreement for Promoting Global Education in India

New Delhi: The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA, and O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India, are pleased to announce a partnership to help Indian students earn a U.S. degree without leaving their home country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given travel restrictions, school delays and visa moratoriums, O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has created flexible, affordable options with the University of Arizona to allow students in India to earn a full U.S. degree – or U.S. transfer credits – with full access to the state of the art JGU campus as part of a new GIFTED Programme (Global Immersion Fellowship for Talent & Educational Development).

Reflecting on this collaborative initiative between two leading institutions, Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar said, “The GIFTED programme is an innovative and affordable way of promoting excellence in international higher education and could profoundly impact the future of knowledge creation, collaborative learning and global engagement at universities around the world. The Global Immersion Fellowship for Talent & Educational Development (GIFTED) Programme is a unique opportunity for Indian students to pursue international education in India with defined pathways for the pursuit of higher education in the USA. O.P. Jindal Global University and the University of Arizona have collaborated to offer a transformative learning experience that allows participants to earn undergraduate U.S. credits through specialized academic streams. The GIFTED Fellows will have the option to pursue the learning experience in a world-class university environment in India that will offer unique and interdisciplinary courses across several areas of knowledge to prepare for continuing their higher education aspirations in the USA.”

Commenting on the partnership that was established between JGU and Arizona, Professor (Dr.) Robert C. Robbins, President, The University of Arizona observed, “I welcome the partnership between the University of Arizona and O.P. Jindal Global University in India. Not only does Global Campus help solve the mobility challenges of today caused by COVID-19, it’s a meaningful and long term effort at meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal of providing accessible quality education to the world. We are truly making affordable, world-class education available to global citizens around the world including in India and, in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been needed more.”

Students can choose from two options in the GIFTED programme.:

· Complete a full U.S. undergraduate degree, graduate degree or graduate certificate online with complete access to the JGU campus.

· Enroll in a pathway programme of online courses to prepare for virtually any major and for eventual study in the U.S.

The fellowship programme includes specially designed courses taught by JGU faculty, as well as access to JGU’s campus infrastructure and co-curricular options such as academic writing and Mandarin language instruction. Students enrolled in the fellowship programme will be fully integrated into JGU’s vibrant campus life, including cultural and sports activities.

The GIFTED Programme Director, Professor Kalyani Unkule believes this programme exemplifies the potential for innovative collaboration between two long-standing partner institutions adding, “The GIFTED programme is designed to convey the message that global is first and foremost a way of thinking, a headspace, and an attitude to being. The GIFTED Fellows will receive academic credits and a certificate for the courses that they pursue on JGU campus in addition to the University of Arizona awarding credits for the learning that they acquire through online education offered by Arizona. At the end of the fellowship, the GIFTED Fellows have the option to continue their studies in the USA.”

“What we are offering is unique,” said Professor Brent White, Dean of Global Campus and Vice Provost of Global Affairs at the University of Arizona. “The ‘Global Campus Experience,’ builds on our top tier digital courses and degrees, providing rich and highly-supported experiences, with access to an in-person community and needed resources, such as high speed WiFi,” said, Professor White. Elaborating on the partnership between JGU and Arizona, he said, “This program is tailored to meet the access needs of international students. Many cannot afford to attend college in the United States; some do not have high-speed internet required to take classes online; and nearly all are unable to travel internationally due the COVID-19 pandemic. Global Campus addresses all of these issues. The events that caused the current situation in international education have hastened the dawn of a new post-mobility world in which physical travel is unnecessary for the creation and transmission of knowledge across borders. Almost overnight, courses have transitioned to online, and international students are continuing to study while remaining safe at home in their own countries. We want to help them achieve their dreams of a U.S. degree, no matter the circumstances,” said Professor White.

The University of Arizona accelerated the expansion when international travel restrictions and visa moratoriums were put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. UA aims to provide an immediate option for international students whose plans were disrupted by the pandemic, and who are unable to begin their studies abroad. International students can choose to transition to the U.S. later, or earn their degrees from the University of Arizona entirely from their home country. The University of Arizona Global Campus offers 10 customized degree paths to more than 200 undergraduate majors, 10 graduate certificates and 60 fully-online degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The Arizona Global Campus can serve new international students who want to enroll beginning in fall 2020. A new website, everywhere.arizona.edu, presents students with degree path options and guides them to an adviser who can help each student create a customized plan.

“This rapid implementation is possible because Global Campus builds on two existing strengths: our network of microcampus locations and our top-ranked Arizona Online,” said University of Arizona Provost Liesl Folks. “We want to help students achieve their dreams of a U.S. degree, whether it is from the University of Arizona or another U.S. university.”