USI Provost visits India to build relationships between USI, India  Traveling through the streets of New Delhi. Studying at the University of Mumbai. Teaching Indian students the same subjects studied at USI. These are all things the University hopes will be possible for students and faculty in the future.

Provost Ronald Rochon recently visited universities, local officials and businesses in India with the purpose of establishing and building relationships between USI and India.

“This exchange of ideas with these individuals are to generate really sound ideas that could impact our campus,” Rochon said. “I’m interested in seeing USI students go to India.”
Rochon traveled to India with several faculty members, including chair of the economics and marketing department Sudesh Mujumdar.
Mujumdar is from India, and helped connect with some of the locals to organize the foundation building between the University and institutions in India.
“This trip was meant to explore what kind of possibilities are out there for us,” Mujumdar said. “It’s not just a vanilla exchange program. We want to make this unique … We’re truly moving in a global direction.”
Rochon emphasized this trip is about potential exchanges, and nothing is fully established. The trip was laying the foundation for future possibilities and relationships.
“I think it’s going to yield very positive outcomes and experiences,” Rochon said.
Mujumdar said the building of relationships like this could go cold if left alone for substantial amounts of time.
To keep the issue alive, USI is considering another trip in the spring with a small group of students and faculty.
The relationship building is designed to help students become more marketable and globally focused.
“The best part about this, they [students] graduate with experience very unique compared to peers,” Rochon said. “That will only enhance their intellectual capital.”
The trip focused on business and health profession opportunities, but other colleges such as liberal arts and education were also discussed and kept in mind.
Mujumdar said this impacts all students on campus, even if the focus was certain colleges, and every student looking to expand his or her intellectual horizons has potential.
There are currently exchange programs through International Programs and Services for students looking to go to India.
This trip cuts out the middleman and builds relationships directly between USI and institutions in India.
“I think the university is really gearing up for international exchange opportunities,” said Heidi Gregori-Gahan, director of International Programs and Services. “We don’t have a lot of activity with India. That would be a huge market that hasn’t been tapped yet.”