Leavey Leaders Travel to India in Comprehensive Effort to Expand Global Footprint
With the launch of the School’s new strategic plan, Leavey PLUS, the Leavey School of Business is launching an effort to increase its global presence and impact. This past month, Leavey’s Sr. Assistant Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Global Engagement Romana Bucur, along with Associate Dean for Graduate Business Programs Nydia MacGregor and Marketing Department Faculty Member Sriram Sundararajan embarked on a two-week-long trip across India.
Through a series of meetings, the Leavey team laid the groundwork for mutually beneficial and sustainable partnerships for diverse initiatives, including new programming opportunities, global immersion experiences, workshops, and faculty collaborations. In addition to learning more about how Leavey might partner with Indian schools and organizations, the trip provided an excellent opportunity to meet with a variety of university leaders with deep experiences and perspectives.
“India is a natural priority for us as we look to build and expand our global connections,” said Bucur. “Not only do many corporations in Silicon Valley have strong bonds with India, but Leavey also has an extremely active and engaged alumni base in the region that we can better leverage to extend our reach.”
During their travels, the Leavey contingent met with representatives and prospective students from more than 15 regional universities, including 3 fellow Global Jesuit Network universities. The Leavey team also attended the QS India Summit and hosted alumni meetings in Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai to gain valuable insights and learn more about how alumni in the region are interested in increasing engagement and collaboration in the future.
This new effort to expand the School’s global footprint aligns with two of the key pillars in the School’s Leavey Plus strategic plan, Partnerships and Unity. Under the plan, Leavey is seeking to develop programs and initiatives that increase global connectivity and impact, while also increasing the School’s enrollments and accessibility to its graduate degree and non-degree programs.
The India initiative is a key first step in a broader strategy that will include other diverse regions. Following the trip to India, Bucur and Leavey Dean Ed Grier headed to Barcelona, Spain, where they are exploring global partnership opportunities with fellow Jesuit institution ESADE and participating in the IAJBS (International Association of Jesuit Business Schools) strategic planning retreat. Grier and Bucur are also working with the US Commercial Service to identify additional opportunities around the world.