Strengthening exchange partnership in India

Calling Canada “the most preferred location” for its students to study, leading academics and administrators at O.P. Jindal Global University near New Delhi, India, welcomed a group from King’s on April 13, 2023. The first exchange student from O.P. Jindal will arrive at King’s in fall 2023 as part of a new partnership that was formed virtually during the pandemic.

The Dean of the Office of International Affairs and Global Initiatives, Dr. Mohan Kumar, along with 10 faculty and department heads at the O.P. Jindal campus, met with Dr. David Malloy, King’s President, and Dr. Tracy Cunningham, King’s Director of Enrolment Services and Registrar. O.P. Jindal is a leading private university in India, with 10,000 students in liberal arts and humanities, social sciences, law, business, government and public policy, international affairs and more.

King’s previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with O.P. Jindal during the pandemic and this is the first time for representatives to meet in person and strengthen the relationship. The Dean of the Jindal School of Liberal Arts & Humanities, Kathleen Modrowski, outlined how King’s students could participate in either a one-semester exchange or in shorter immersion programs that include experiential learning in a wide range of programs including migration and human rights studies. As well, she outlined how O.P. Jindal students could conduct research-based internships via King’s using design thinking as part of their capstone thesis work in arts and humanities.

Currently, King’s has an MOU for student and faculty exchange as well as a 2+2 program in Politics and International Relations and is looking to expand that to other areas of study.

“King’s and O.P. Jindal is a wonderful fit,” said Modrowski. “We both have wonderful programs in the liberal arts and humanities and I see how closely your programs fit with ours,” she added.

Akhil Bhardwag, Director of the Office of International Affairs and Global Initiatives says the next step, beyond sending the first student from O.P. Jindal to King’s in September 2023, is to look at faculty engagement including the possibility of co-teaching opportunities as well as joint conferences and seminars.

The King’s representatives were equally impressed with the shared values and program strengths between the two universities. “We had a partnership on paper during the pandemic and now, to meet face-to-face is very exciting,” says Dr. Cunningham. “The work we can do together with exchanges in Politics and International Relations and soon in Psychology will be a great benefit to our students.”

Dr. Malloy added that the meeting demonstrated the commitment that both universities have to move forward, to learn how our education systems can work together between Canada and India. “Your university feels like home to us,” he said. “Your ideas and values regarding teaching and research are exactly how we think at King’s.”

For more information on how to participate in an exchange with O.P. Jindal Global University, please visit our International University Partners page.