International Engagement

A strong commitment to international engagement

A native of Australia who has worked internationally throughout his entire career, McRobbie led a major revitalization and expansion of IU’s international engagement as Indiana University president.

During his tenure, he oversaw the establishment of new partnerships with leading international universities, five new global gateway offices around the world, and the establishment of new IU Alumni Association chapters in all 30 of IU’s carefully selected priority countries. In that time, IU also saw a doubling in the number of its students who study abroad.

McRobbie also led IU delegations on trips to Africa, southeast Asia, South America, and India to increase academic and research opportunities for the university’s students and faculty and to strengthen global partnerships. Many of these trips have been captured in blog posts, photos, and video.

Thailand

In February 2019, IU President McRobbie led a delegation on a trip to Thailand. While in Bangkok, the delegation celebrated the opening of IU's fifth office in its Global Gateway Network and reaffirmed partnerships with leading educational institutions, including Chulalongkorn University and the National Institute of Development Administration. During meetings with national leaders and dignitaries, the delegation explored areas of mutual interest relating to business, education, government and culture to expand IU's relationships and global resources in Southeast Asia.

Korea and China

In September, IU President McRobbie led a university delegation on a weeklong trip to South Korea and China. While overseas, McRobbie and his colleagues met with leaders in education, government, research, and culture in South Korea's capital city of Seoul, China's capital Beijing, and China's coastal metropolis of Tianjin.

Mexico

In May 2018, IU President McRobbie led a delegation on a trip to Mexico City. While in Mexico, the delegation celebrated the opening of the IU Mexico Gateway, strengthened IU's longstanding agreements with higher education institutions, including the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the largest university in Mexico and Latin America, engaged in cultural exchanges, explored new international partnerships and renewed relationships with IU alumni.

Japan and Australia

In November 2017, President Michael A. McRobbie led a university delegation to Japan and Australia. President McRobbie's activities in Japan included a meeting with Sony executives to discuss strengthening a successful IU-Sony relationship, watching two IU Jacobs School of Music alumni perform at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and celebrating with IU's Japan alumni chapter. While in Australia, McRobbie participated in the second annual Indiana University-Australian National University summit meeting and met with alumni.

McRobbie joins Dr. Francisco Trigo, vice provost for cooperation and international affairs at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, to formally open the IU Mexico Gateway office on the UNAM campus. President McRobbie speaks at the opening of the "Americans Abroad" exhibition, part of a multiyear partnership between the Eskenazi Museum of Art at IU and the Tsinghua University Art Museum. McRobbie and Australian National University Vice Chancellor Brian Schmidt formally renew a partnership agreement between their respective institutions.

Spain and France

In May 2017, President Michael A. McRobbie led a university delegation to Spain and France for one week. During the trip, President McRobbie and his colleagues helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of the university's successful overseas study program in Madrid and recognized the consortium of U.S. universities, known as the Universidades Reunidas. IU delegation members strengthened IU’s longstanding connections and expanded overseas opportunities for IU students and faculty while in Madrid, Marseille, and Paris.

South Korea and China

In December 2016, President Michael A. McRobbie led a university delegation on a one-week trip to China and South Korea. During the weeklong trip, President McRobbie and the delegation members helped celebrate the 30th anniversary of IU’s Korea alumni chapter in Seoul and participated in a symposium on the work of the late Nobel Laureate and IU Distinguished Professor Elinor Ostrom at the IU China Gateway office in Beijing.

Italy and Poland

In late May and early June 2016, President Michael A. McRobbie and his fellow delegation members celebrated several special events, including the 50th anniversary of IU’s study abroad program in Bologna, Italy, and the 40th anniversary of IU’s partnership with the University of Warsaw. They also met with top leaders and prominent IU alumni to expand overseas opportunities for IU faculty and students.

Thailand

In late March and early April 2016, President Michael A. McRobbie led a university delegation to Thailand. During the weeklong trip, McRobbie and his fellow delegation members helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Institute of Development Administration, Thailand’s leading educational institution concentrating on graduate studies in fields related to national development. They met with government officials, educational and business leaders, and prominent IU Thai alumni in an effort to strengthen one of the university’s oldest official international relationships, dating back nearly seven decades.

Dedication of the Global Institute in Berlin, Germany

Beijing Normal University Vice President Zhou Zuoyu and President McRobbie unveil a plaque commemorating partnership

President McRobbie receives a cardboard etching of the new Global Institute from CIEE President and CEO James Pello, Berlin; Beijing Normal University Vice President Zhou Zuoyu and IU President Michael A. McRobbie unveil a plaque commemorating a new partnership between their respective institutions, the China-U.S. Joint Research Academy for International Education; Doi Tung Development Project, Thailand

Germany

In November 2015, President Michael A. McRobbie led an Indiana University delegation to Berlin, Germany, for a five-day trip to attend the formal inauguration of the new IU Europe Gateway office and to meet with officials to renew and create new academic and research partnerships.

China and South Korea

In March 2015, an Indiana University delegation, led by President Michael A. McRobbie, traveled for a weeklong trip to China and Korea to continue the university’s strategic engagement with key regions of the world.

Saudi Arabia and India

In late October 2014, Indiana University achieved several new international engagement milestones in India and Saudi Arabia, two nations where the university’s ties are among its deepest.

Turkey

In September 2014, President Michael A. McRobbie led a university delegation on a weeklong trip to Turkey. The trip included meetings with key leaders in business, education, and government, as well as with IU’s Turkish alumni, to further IU’s strategic focus on key international locations important to the university’s long-term mission of generating more academic and research opportunities overseas for IU students and faculty.

Asia

In May 2014, President Michael A. McRobbie led a university delegation on a two-week trip to China, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. Central to the trip was the opening of IU’s new China Gateway Office in Beijing, the university’s second overseas gateway facility.

Africa

In August 2013, President Michael A. McRobbie led a university delegation on a two-week trip to Africa—the first trip to Africa by a sitting IU president in more than two decades. Central to the trip was a series of meetings with the AMPATH program, a historic academic-medical partnership among a consortium of U.S. educational institutions and the Moi University School of Medicine in Eldoret, Kenya.

East Asia

In May 2013, IU President McRobbie led a delegation to South Korea, China and Taiwan to broaden the university's international reach and to increase educational and research opportunities for its students and faculty. While there, McRobbie renewed or signed several agreements between IU and leading higher education institutions in the region and met with alumni and business and government leaders, and attended two special receptions for IU's newest students from China and South Korea.

An IU delegation meets with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand

Reception, Korea; Members of the IU delegation meet with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand. In 2010, IU presented an honorary degree to Princess Sirindhorn for her efforts to expand and improve public education all across Thailand; the IU India Office in Gurgaon

Southeast Asia

In May 2012, President Michael A. McRobbie and Vice President for International Affairs David Zaret visited universities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, nations that are home to more than 5,000 IU alumni. The trip resulted in strengthening of existing connections as well as new academic partnerships.

South America

In November 2012, President Michael A. McRobbie and Vice President for International Affairs David Zaret traveled to South America to meet with leading university officials in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The trip, the first to these countries by a sitting IU president in nearly four decades, resulted in new study abroad opportunities for IU students and collaborative research possibilities for IU faculty.

India

In August 2011, President Michael A. McRobbie and other IU staff visited India to meet with leading university officials, business executives, political leaders, and alumni. The visit, the first to India by a sitting IU president in at least four decades, resulted in new academic and business partnerships.

China

In March 2011, a group of 18 professors and staff from Indiana University joined state business executives and journalists on an eight-day trip to southeast China. This trip represented the second in a series of conferences conducted with IU’s strategic partner, Zhejiang University.