February 20, 2004

TSU signs agreement with university in Ecuador to offer MBA courses

Troy State University , which operates teaching sites in 17 U.S. states and 10 foreign nations, took a major step Thursday toward adding its first site in South America .

TSU held a signing ceremony Thursday morning to enter into an agreement to offer the master of business administration degree through the Universidad de Espiritu Santo of Guayaquil , Ecuador . Dr. Jack Hawkins , Jr. Chancellor, represented TSU, and Dr. Carlos Ortega, Rector, represented the Universidad de Espiritu Santo.

Dr. Susan Aldridge , Vice President of University College, the division that oversees Troy State University campuses outside the State of Alabama , said the Universidad de Espiritu Santo is the perfect partner to help TSU launch a South American site.

“This is a private university with about 2,000 students,” she said. “It has a strong study-abroad program and a strong bilingual education program. We are organizing the program to allow students to transfer to the Troy campus, if they want to spend several semesters in the United States , or they can complete the entire program in Ecuador .”

Dr. Aldridge said the next step is to apply through Ecuador 's ministry of education, and its national accrediting agency. She said the two institutions are also looking toward other partnerships, as well, including offering an executive master of business administration degree via distance-learning methods, such as the Internet.

“We will be working with Universidad de Espiritu Santo to help them develop a strong distance-learning program,” Dr. Aldridge said. “They are interested in our on-line programs.”