HYDERABAD, India — It will be easier for international students to attend Alma College for graduate and undergraduate degrees, thanks to agreements signed by college officials with three organizations in India in January.
An agreement with University Hub, an admissions consulting firm based in Hyderabad, paves the way for students from India to pursue a Master of Science in Communication and Information Technology degree. University Hub has helped more than 100,000 students to study in the United States and offers comprehensive support for those who do; including travel arrangements, coaching and help with pursuing graduate education.
A “2-plus-2” agreement — whereby undergraduate students study in India for two years before finishing the remainder of their degree in the United States — was signed by officials from Alma College and the Vidyalankar School of Information Technology, in Mumbai. Under the terms of that collaboration, students will pursue business and computer science degrees at Alma College.
A second “2-plus-2” agreement was signed by Alma and the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology’s College of Liberal Arts in Patiala. This agreement allows students to pursue degrees at Alma College in various academic programs, including psychology, economics, business and political science.
“These agreements provide a much more robust, systemic approach to bringing international students to the campus of Alma College than what we’ve had previously,” said Victor Finch, associate vice president of graduate and professional enrollment. “What we find wherever we go is that international students relish the opportunity to study at a prestigious liberal arts institution like Alma College, for the interdisciplinary education that it provides and the training to become an adaptable leader in any industry they enter into.”
Alma College officials say they are exploring similar agreements with other organizations; both for the benefit of enrolling additional students to Alma as well as the impact that international students have on campus. These agreements may go beyond simply enrolling students and extend into faculty exchange programs, as well.
“The students who come here bring experiences and points of view that our students, staff and faculty would not have been exposed to otherwise, and that’s an important part of being in college,” said Tim Pinnow, chief operating officer and dean of graduate studies. “We are pleased to grow our offerings related to global education and collaboration with international partners and look forward to greater opportunities to do so in the future.”
Officials from Alma College have worked diligently in recent months to establish new pathways for transfer and international students to attend the college. A “2-plus-2” agreement was signed with officials from Montcalm Community College in November.
For more information, visit alma.edu/admissions/apply/international-students, call the Admissions Office at (800) 321-ALMA or email admissions@alma.edu.