Provost embarks on Japan trip to expand ties with top universities

In an effort to expand relations with some of the world's leading universities, IU interim Provost Michael McRobbie embarked Saturday on an eight-day trip to Tokyo to visit three of Japan's top higher-education institutions. \nMcRobbie will meet with administrators and faculty members at Rikkyo University, Waseda University and the University of Tokyo -- three schools that make up half of the Tokyo institutions often referred to as Japan's elite colleges. The goal of the trip is to expand the exchange of faculty and students, increase collaborative research endeavors and improve language programs and internships by building strong ties between the universities, according to a press release.\n"These universities will all play leading roles in Japan's academic future," McRobbie said in a statement. "Establishing strong ties with them will open many doors of opportunity to IU students as well as improve our access to Japan's top graduate students." \nLarry MacIntyre, director of IU Media Relations, said the University is looking to strengthen its international involvement by building relationships with top institutions from around the globe. He said it is important to have ties with the leading schools in Japan because Asia has a dynamic, growing economy and is becoming increasingly vital in world trade. \n"It is clear in the 21st century that places like Japan, China and Korea will be huge players in the world's economy, and Americans have to be ready for this," MacIntyre said. "As a University, we feel we have an obligation to provide our students with a very good international experience." \nStrengthening ties with universities from around the world will give students more opportunities through increased student exchange programs. These programs will help students meet international requirements as part of the new undergraduate general education curriculum the Bloomington Faculty Council approved last week, MacIntyre said.\n"This new curriculum is requiring us to expand our relations with institutions overseas, especially those with the highest academic standards," McRobbie said. \nMcRobbie's eight-day trip is also aimed at attracting the best and brightest graduate students in Japan to come to IU.\nMcRobbie's agenda also included meetings with five organizations with which IU already has or wishes to begin relationships, according to a press release. These companies and groups are the National Institute of Informatics, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, the Japan Foundation, the Toshiba International Foundation and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.\nMcRobbie is scheduled to return to Bloomington on Sunday.