The University of Illinois Springfield College of Business and Management is exploring new opportunities for international collaboration following a recent visit to the University of Economics and Finance in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Representing UIS during the visit were Serkan Karadas, associate professor, and Tammy Schlosky, assistant professor, both in the Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance. They met with Majo George, dean of UEF's Faculty of Economics, to discuss opportunities for academic partnerships that could benefit students and faculty at both institutions.

Discussions focused on potential undergraduate and graduate collaborations, including healthcare informatics, cybersecurity management and English-taught master’s degree programs. The institutions also explored opportunities for faculty exchanges, joint research projects, academic conferences, student internships, global immersion experiences and innovative approaches to international program delivery.

“International partnerships are built on more than signed agreements—they begin with meaningful conversations, mutual respect and a shared vision for advancing higher education,” Karadas said. “Our discussions revealed exciting opportunities for partnership.”

During the visit, the UIS delegation also learned about UEF’s extensive global collaborations with universities in the United States and Europe, its commitment to internationalization and its growing emphasis on global rankings, research and experiential learning.

“As higher education becomes increasingly interconnected, partnerships like these create opportunities not only for our institutions, but more importantly for our students, faculty and the communities we serve,” Schlosky said. “We look forward to continuing these conversations and exploring meaningful ways to work together.”

The UIS delegation expressed appreciation to George and the UEF team for their hospitality and openness to future collaboration. The visit reflects the College of Business and Management’s ongoing commitment to expanding global opportunities for students and faculty through international learning, research and academic partnerships.