Unit introduction

The prior modules focused on the introductory concepts of internationalizing higher education, both from the United States and India perspectives. Participants also developed an understanding of specific aspects related to the ecosystem, policy measures, and best practices for collaborations and partnerships for United States and India higher education.

The current unit--“Partnership Models and Frameworks for Internationalization- Joint, double and consecutive degrees” focuses on application and implementation of key concepts such as partnership models and frameworks, partnership development criteria, and the types of collaborations possible.

Internationalization in higher education is increasingly facilitated through various partnership models, including joint, double, and consecutive degree programs. These collaborative frameworks enable institutions to offer students a global education experience, enhancing their academic and professional prospects. This module will explore these partnership models, their implementation, and their impact on student mobility, drawing on insights from the ACE comprehensive internationalization model, National Education Policy 2020 and University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines on joint degrees.

Therefore, this unit will enable the participants to understand partnership models permitted by the policy makers in both countries- United States and India. For long years there has been interest in both the countries to offer joint programs. However, it is only a recent development that the Indian Government now legally permits institutions in India to formulate such partnerships with their foreign counterparts.

The participants will understand the nuances of establishing such partnerships to offer joint degree programs and understand the opportunities and challenges of offering such programs. It will be useful to identify best practices in successful joint degree programs between U.S. and Indian institutions which will steer more such opportunities in the near future. This unit will also propose a new and innovative framework of partnership to strengthen student mobility between the two countries, some of which may be short duration or non-credit programs. Such programs may ignite interest of students to explore interest in the foreign partner institution for their next level of degree programs.

Facilitator bios

Dr. Gunjan M. Sanjeev is a versatile higher education leader driving strategic internationalization initiatives. She is the Founder and CEO of an International education consulting organization in India. Previously, her endeavors at Amity University, India, included setting up of international campuses for Amity Group, fostering international linkages with top tier Universities across the world, seeking International Accreditations and creating study abroad opportunities for students.

She has driven comprehensive internationalization of higher education for over twenty years across US, UK, France, Ireland and Singapore. She was a participant in a United States Government initiative on “Promoting U.S. India Higher Education Collaboration and Internationalization” Program 2022 and also a speaker at NAFSA 2023. She has visited Irish HEIs under the Government of Ireland initiative 2022. She served academic leadership roles for UK universities-namely, OBU and University of Bradford at their India operations, also leading QAA visits and validation processes for award of UK degrees. She has also served as the jury for the prestigious EFMD, Belgium, Case Writing Competition 2020 for the "Indian Management Issues and Opportunities category”.

She has contributed to The Economic Times (ET Government), India Today, The PIE News (UK) to name a few. She was a speaker at the QS Higher Ed Summit: Americas 2022 and the Editorial Advisor to the ET Government: Special Edition of Education Leadership Summit 2022, an initiative of The Economic Times.

She has a proven track record in research and editorial work. She is the theme editor to five special issues of a Scopus- indexed international journal WHATT, Emerald Publishing, U.K. (2010-2021). She has won awards like Outstanding paper award 2013 and the First category award for case study 2011, Emerald Publishing, U.K.; Best paper award, IIM, Lucknow 2005; Award nomination at COSMAR 2005, IISc, Bangalore, to name a few.

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