Associate Director of Global Academic Partnerships

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Provost for Academic Initiatives and the Executive Director of ISSO, the Associate Director will actively develop new international academic collaborations, cultivate and sustain existing partnerships, and assist in formulating and implementing strategic relationships with overseas institutions. As a pivotal member of the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO), the incumbent will act as a liaison with internal and external partners, and provide support for other strategic projects in the Office of the Provost.

Responsibilities

Research and Analysis:

Analyze the external partnership landscape to gain insights into trends and directions shaping international academic collaborations. Perform benchmarking activities to identify best practices, innovative strategies, and effective models employed by peer institutions. Investigate potential partners to identify new collaborations, strengths, and areas of synergy. Develop informative briefing documents, conduct initial risk assessments, and provide recommendations.

 Partner Relations:

Identify, establish, and nurture strategic partnerships with external organizations, including businesses, educational institutions, international institutions, and community organizations. Collaborate with key academic and administrative stakeholders to identify partnership opportunities aligned with the University’s vision and academic programs. Ensure the alignment of program offerings with industry demands and emerging trends. Serve as the primary point of contact for partner organizations and coordinate ongoing collaboration efforts.  Manage collaborations from inception to agreement finalization. Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, including academic institutions, Columbia schools, and Columbia Global Centers, to execute partnership initiatives. Act as a central point of contact for arranging visits by important delegations. Manage inbound requests, assist in scheduling meetings based on mutual interests, create briefing materials, liaise with stakeholders for seamless event planning, facilitate follow-up actions, and organize outbound travel for select central Columbia delegations. Maintain an accurate and comprehensive database containing requests and established partnerships. This serves both internal recordkeeping and external auditing needs. Prepare, revise, and edit collaboration agreements. Facilitate swift reviews of academic partnership agreements and provide ongoing partnership management. Define, track, and monitor the progress and success of collaborative initiatives and partnerships to ensure their efficacy in achieving student learning and overall program objectives. Identify areas of opportunity for program refinement and advancement by leveraging insights and stakeholder feedback.

 Other duties

Regularly refresh the ISSO and Office of the Senior Vice Provost’s website with news, featured profiles, and updates regarding current partnerships and initiatives. Ability to travel domestically and internationally to visit partners as needed. Other duties as assigned .

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of professional-related experience.

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