Bhubaneswar: A new type of educational partnership between the state of Washington and India will be launched on Friday, June 8, when the University of Washington Bothell and Kushagra Institute of Management Studies (KIIMS), Odisha, India, sign a memorandum of understanding to establish international cultural, educational and scientific cooperation.
 
This initiative opens the doors to cross cultural educational opportunities and cooperation between faculty members, departments, institutes and other research centers at the two institutions. The involvement of international faculty and students is intended to add depth and context to the learning experiences of native students on the international business track.

Vice Chancellor Susan Jeffords of UW Bothell and Director, Dr. S.K. Baral of KIMMS will sign the agreement. “This new agreement offers a great model for how Washington’s universities can build effective partnerships,” Jeffords noted. . “With this agreement we are taking steps to enhance the region’s global competiveness.”

The foundation for the collaboration between KIIMS and the UW Bothell was laid by the Washington State India Trade Relations Action Committee (WASITRAC) during a trade mission to Orissa in 2010.  This delegation, jointly lead by U.S. Congressman Jim McDermott and Washington State Lt. Governor Brad Owen, opened the door to future cooperation between the state of Orissa and Washington.
“We strongly believe that a partnership in education builds the legacy for any future trade relationships and we are confident that this collaboration between KIIMS and UW Bothell will take the bilateral trade relationship between the Washington State and India to the next level.” says Debutta Dash, Co-Chair WASITRAC.