Grant aids GVSU's international relations program

International relations students at Grand Valley State University will increase their global competence thanks to a $1 million grant funded equally by the U.S. Department of Education and the European Union.

The EU-US Atlantis Program provides funding for Grand Valley and two of its partner institutions, Krakow University of Economics in Poland and the University of Debrecen in Hungary, to participate in the STAIR (Studies in Trans-Atlantic International Relations) program. Details of the three-tier program follow:

• Students from both continents can obtain dual degrees in international relations after participating in yearlong exchanges;
• Increased opportunities for student exchanges and student collaborations among the three universities, including for students not participating in the dual degree program;
• Increased opportunities for faculty exchanges among the universities and collaborations on research projects.

STAIR funding will be divided among all partners: Grand Valley will receive $408,000 from the U.S. Department of Education; the European universities will each receive 408,000 Euros from the EU.

Mark Schaub, executive director of Grand Valley's Padnos International Center, said STAIR completely funds tuition expenses for students who plan to complete dual degrees. During each of the grant years, which run from 2008-2012, six GVSU graduates with international relations degrees can complete a dual degree by spending a semester at Krakow and another at Debrecen. Six European students can also earn a dual degree after spending two semesters at Grand Valley.

Polly Diven, director of Grand Valley's International Relations program, said some of her students are already preparing for dual degrees by enrolling in Polish language classes this fall. "This will be a great opportunity for them to get international experience and exposure," she said. More than half of Grand Valley's international relations majors study abroad, Diven said, but cost becomes a factor for some students.

Diven added that Grand Valley chose to write the grant with partner universities in Poland and Hungary because of the emerging economies in that region and the democratization of the countries. Grand Valley has partnerships with more than 30 institutions around the world.