Radford University partners with elite Australian international university to expand student opportunities

With the signing of a Study Abroad Agreement by Radford University President Brian O. Hemphill on Nov. 3, Radford will begin a promising partnership with Monash University.

Monash, Australia’s largest university, is ranked in the top 100 in the London Times’ Higher Education World University Rankings, and has recently been ranked No. 79 globally by the U.S. News & World Report. Based in Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, Monash has four campuses and 70,000 students, including 25,000 international students.

“This is an exciting way to further globalize the Radford University community and enrich our students’ collegiate experience,” said President Hemphill after he and Monash’s Faculty of Arts’ International Recruitment Manager Rob Cioffi endorsed the agreement.

Radford University is Monash’s only Virginia partner, according to Cioffi.

“It is quite evident that there are clear synergies between the institutions,” Cioffi said.

For an initial period of five years, the agreement will enable Radford students to study in Melbourne with reduced tuition, provide the chance to secure $1,500 scholarships and create opportunities to work on and off the Monash campus.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for our students,” said International Education Center (IEC) Director Paul Currant. “Monash University is a prestigious addition to Radford University’s expanding selection of partner schools that can make international study a life-changing part of our students’ careers.”

After the MoU signing, more than 75 Radford students and faculty joined Cioffi in Heth 43 for an information session on the unique chance to study “down under” at Monash, rated in 2016 among the world elite in 37 of 42 subject areas.

“International education can unlock opportunities for an entire career,” Cioffi said. “It is truly a mind-broadening exercise.”

Cioffi added that Radford University students who complete an exchange to Monash would become part of a 70,000-member alumni network, including more than 5,000 in New York City. Monash has a global footprint that includes four Melbourne-area campuses, satellite campuses in China, India, South Africa and Italy and a network of international partners, such as Radford University.

For the upcoming year, nearly 300 Radford University students have applied for an international study experience – a 33 percent increase over last year, said Currant.

“Very importantly,” Currant said, “we work closely with faculty and academic advisors to develop a plan of study to allow a student who wishes to study abroad to graduate on time.”

Through the IEC, Radford University students can study abroad for a semester, academic year, or on one of many short-term programs. The University’s expanding list of partners include France’s Blaise Pascal University, Kassel University in Germany, Japan’s Kansai Gaidai University and the University of Glasgow in Scotland. France’s ESDES School of Business and Management and Japan’s Osaka University of Commerce have recently signed exchange agreements with Radford University and the EM Lyon School of Business, a highly ranked European university, will soon join Radford University as an exchange partner.