OLD DOMINION TO LAUNCH PARTNERSHIP WITH RAJAGIRI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN REPUBLIC OF INDIA

Old Dominion University will launch a cooperative program in engineering with Rajagiri International School for Education and Research in Kerala, Republic of India, at a signing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 2.

Jose Alex, managing trustee of Rajagiri, and Jo Ann Gora, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Old Dominion, will sign the agreement at noon in the Elizabeth River Dining Room at Webb University Center. William Swart, dean of Old Dominion's College of Engineering and Technology, and John Heyl, director of international programs, will be on hand to witness the partnership.

The program allows qualified students to earn a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering from Old Dominion in what's known as a "2 + 2 program." Students spend their first two years at Rajagiri and transfer to Old Dominion for completion of their degree.

"This is truly a 'win-win' situation. We will enable Indian students to complete their engineering degrees in an excellent program and Old Dominion will benefit from including these talented international students in our community," said Gora. "I am very appreciative of the time our electrical engineering faculty and director of international programs have spent with their colleagues at Rajagiri School to develop the articulated curriculum to facilitate this partnership."

For the first two years of the program, Indian students will take primarily general education classes and beginning engineering classes at Rajagiri School. During the next two years, students will attend Old Dominion for their upper division engineering curriculum, culminating in a bachelor's degree.

"This will be a unique opportunity for Indian undergraduate students to receive the benefits of their native educational system, as well as those of the American system to fully prepare them to function in the global marketplace," said Swart. "These students will enrich the cultural diversity of our campus and, through their interaction with our students, open up windows to the world that many American students do not get the opportunity to experience.