Last modified: Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Agreement links IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Swedish university
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- An agreement between the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a leading international business school in Sweden will bring about increased collaboration in faculty and graduate research and more study-abroad opportunities for students.
The agreement for scholarly cooperation joins SPEA with Jönköping International Business School (JIBS), a leading European international business school that is highly regarded for scholarship of entrepreneurship and small business. The agreement calls for:
- Faculty exchanges for purposes of teaching, research, lectures and seminars
- Joint research projects on topics of mutual interest
- Student exchanges, with opportunities for IU students to study at JIBS and vice versa
Photo by Ric Cradick
Taking part in the signing agreement were: seated, SPEA Dean John Graham and JIBS Dean Agneta Bladh; standing, from left, SPEA faculty members David Audretsch and Sameeksha Desai and JIBS Associate Dean Johan Eklund.
It was signed Friday (June 10) by SPEA Dean John D. Graham, IU Vice President for International Affairs Patrick O'Meara, IU Treasurer MaryFrances McCourt and JIBS Managing Director and Dean Agneta Bladh. Also taking part in the signing ceremony were SPEA faculty members David Audretsch and Sameeksha Desai, and JIBS Associate Dean for Education Johan Eklund.
"This agreement builds on strong ties that already exist between Indiana University and Jönköping International Business School, thanks to the work of David Audretsch, Sameeksha Desai and Charles Bonser," Graham said. "Jönköping has an extensive network of global partnerships and is known as a world leader in entrepreneurship. This relationship will provide SPEA faculty and students with outstanding new opportunities for research and study."
"Jönköping International Business School is a leading business school in Sweden and in Europe," added O'Meara. "I was delighted to meet the dean and associate dean of the school, and I'm very pleased that Indiana University is expanding its connections with Sweden. This promises to be an extremely worthwhile linkage for the students and faculties of both institutions."
Faculty research collaboration has already taken place with Desai, a SPEA assistant professor who studies entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development, having published research with Eklund, the JIBS associate dean. Audretsch, a SPEA distinguished professor and director of the Institute for Development Strategies, received an honorary doctorate from JIBS in 2010. Also, SPEA Dean Emeritus Charles Bonser co-chairs the Transatlantic Policy Consortium, which includes JIBS among its members and which held its 2009 colloquium at Jönköping.
Faculty exchanges may begin in the 2011-12 academic year, with Desai expected to serve as a visiting faculty member at JIBS and Eklund likely to visit IU Bloomington, and with additional faculty members participating in exchanges in the future.
Jönköping International Business School is one of four specialized schools within Sweden's Jönköping University. Established in 1994, it offers education and research in business administration, commercial law, economics, informatics and statistics. It has been ranked ninth globally and third in Europe in entrepreneurship research, as well as fourth globally and first in Europe in family business research. Thirty percent of its more than 2,000 students are from outside of Sweden, and 85 percent spend at least one semester studying abroad.
The Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs, created in 1972, has earned national distinction for innovative educational programs that combine administrative, social, economic, financial and environmental disciplines. It was tied for No. 2 for graduate programs in public affairs in the most recent "Best Graduate Schools" rankings from U.S. News & World Report.
