University of Northern Iowa business college partners with Thailand university
UNI President Mark Nook, left, signed an agreement with Assumption University of Thailand for a 2+2 program. (Photo courtesy of University of Northern Iowa)
The University of Northern Iowa's business school has made its first international partnership to bring students from Thailand to Cedar Falls to study, the university has announced.
According to a news release, UNI and Assumption University in Bangkok signed an agreement last week to form a 2+2 program for students to complete the first two years of courses at Assumption then finish a business degree at UNI.
The partnership has been in the works for almost two years, according to the release, and students participating in the 2+2 program are expected to start heading to UNI in 2026. Founded as the Assumption School of Business in 1969, Assumption University of Thailand is a private, nonprofit university overseen by global Catholic order the Brothers of St. Gabriel.
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UNI Global Opportunities Coordinator Chris Schrage taught graduate marketing management courses at Assumption during the fall 2024 semester, the release stated, and nine countries were represented among the 40 students she taught.
'We really like what they have to offer: the rigor of their classrooms and the fact that they have such a wide range of students asking about international opportunities when they aren't even from Thailand,' Schrage said in the release.
According to the release, the two institutions are also working on programs to offer students international study for shorter terms. A release from Assumption University stated this initial agreement could pave the way for more 'shared learning experiences,' including further student and faculty exchanges and joint programming.
Wilson College of Business Associate Dean Mary Connerley said in the release the new partnership will help students from both schools broaden their horizons and global knowledge.
'Bringing international students to UNI helps our students be exposed to different ways of thinking, different cultures and different ways of living,' Connerley said in the release. 'We have a lot of students who like to travel on study abroad programs. We want to continue to offer those programs, but not all of our students can do that. So I think it's great when we can bring more students here from different cultures. It can lead to our students developing some really deep friendships.'
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