Message from the President: A Trip to India Strengthens Global Partnerships

By President David J. Fike

:::

President Fike speaks with reporters at a press conference organized by University Hub in Hyderabad, India.

In August, I had the opportunity and pleasure to travel to India, accompanied by Vice Provost for Global Affairs Jay Gonzalez and Assistant Dean & Director of Global Education Rosita Lesmana, part of an effort to represent Golden Gate University, solidify partnerships, and support our students across the globe.

This trip’s objective included visiting our partner staff and operations with UpGrad, with whom we have been engaged for over one year developing programs and recruiting students. We’ve had over 1200 students join us in asynchronous, online programs with more students to join us here in San Francisco this fall as part of the study abroad track of some of those programs.

Equally important, we aimed to meet directly with the leadership and staff of University Hub, another organization that GGU has been in discussions with since last spring about the development and delivery of low-residency Master of Science degrees in San Francisco. Being on the ground in India afforded a valuable opportunity to learn about their operations and organizational capacity first-hand.

President Fike meets with prospective students at an admissions event.

After a whirlwind arrival in Hyderabad, a major technology center, we received an extremely warm welcome from our global partners before appearing at a press conference organized by University Hub. I was extraordinarily impressed with the work of University Hub at the press conference and at a student recruitment event 36 hours later, well-attended by many students due to the media hits from the press conference the day before.

I gained new understanding and strengthened relationships breaking bread, meeting staff, and speaking directly with prospective students. Following an energizing and inspiring visit, I returned with the strong conviction that the future for these programs is bright with promising enrollment growth and opportunities. In India, GGU is highly visible and respected among the leaders, staff, and prospective students I encountered. I am grateful for the hard work of GGU faculty and staff to earn that respect and reputation as our global partnerships expand.