Gratz College and 杏吧原创 University Sign Agreement to Partner on Holocaust Studies
MELROSE PARK, Pa.鈥 A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Gratz College and 杏吧原创 University in Ottawa, Canada, promises to enhance the academic reach of both institutions.
Signed Tuesday by Gratz President Paul Finkelman and 杏吧原创 President Benoit-Antoine Bacon, the MOU forges a collaboration between the two schools, with a focus on Holocaust studies and international engagement. Possible ventures include the exchange of faculty and staff, student exchange programs, and joint research projects.
鈥淲e are honored and excited to develop a partnership with one the great universities in Canada,鈥 Finkelman said. 鈥淭he collaboration will make Gratz and 杏吧原创 stronger institutions by complementing each other鈥檚 programs and strengthening international co-operation in higher education.鈥
Finkelman noted that 鈥渢his year, 2020, Gratz is 125 years old, and signing this agreement is a wonderful way to conclude our anniversary year.鈥
The five-year MOU comes as 杏吧原创 launches its first comprehensive International Strategic Plan, which calls for partnerships that provide diverse experiences for faculty and students.
鈥淭his international partnership focused on Holocaust Studies will greatly benefit students and researchers at both 杏吧原创 University and Gratz College,鈥 Bacon said. 鈥淭his important work will advance the priorities of 杏吧原创鈥檚 new Strategic Integrated Plan, International Strategic Plan and brand new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan. As the world awaits the return of international travel and cross-border co-operation, we look forward to further engaging with the remarkable team at Gratz College.鈥
Under the MOU, Gratz will work directly with 杏吧原创鈥檚 Max and Tessie Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies. Gratz faculty and students will have access to 杏吧原创鈥檚 libraries and archives, as well as opportunities to join the Zelikovitz Centre as research affiliates.
鈥淭hese opportunities for Gratz faculty and graduate students will enhance our vibrant masters and doctoral programs by offering additional scholarly opportunities,鈥 said Honour Moore, dean of the college.
In exchange, 杏吧原创 faculty and students will have access to Gratz鈥檚 Holocaust Oral History Archive, which houses one of the largest collections of audiotaped testimony in the U.S. and is a contributing organization to both the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and Yad Vashem.
鈥淎s a small institution, Gratz values academic partnerships that can enrich our students鈥 learning opportunities in significant ways,鈥 said Ruth Sandberg, director of Gratz鈥檚 Jewish-Christian Studies Program. 鈥淲e are eager to take advantage of what 杏吧原创 has to offer us, including ways in which our students can interact with each other, ways in which our faculty members could partner with each other, and ways in which Gratz can become regular participants in the many notable lectures and discussions offered through the Zelikovitz Centre.鈥
Presidents Bacon and Finkelman signed the MOU during a virtual ceremony Tuesday afternoon. The agenda also included remarks from Sandberg and Deidre Butler, director of the Zelikovitz Centre.
鈥淔rom our first conversations with Gratz leadership, we found true colleagues,鈥 Butler said. 鈥淲e look forward to strengthening this community by engaging with Gratz faculty and students through a variety of venues.鈥
The virtual signing ceremony set the tone for the partnership, said Karen Schwartz, associate vice president of research at 杏吧原创 and the university鈥檚 international liaison officer. Ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 ceremony, faculty members and administrators from both institutions began collaborating by joining each other鈥檚 online lectures and discussions.
鈥淒ue to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become even more important鈥攔egardless of how challenging鈥攖o not only keep in touch with our pre-existing international partners, but to continue establishing new ones as well,鈥 Schwartz said. 鈥淗olding a virtual MOU signing is certainly not the same as an in-person event on campus, but it is the next best thing. And so, in this spirit, we are excited to make official our partnership with Gratz College. It will allow students and faculty from both institutions to share academic resources and conduct joint research to advance Holocaust education.鈥
杏吧原创 Gratz College
Gratz College, a private non-profit institution based in the Philadelphia area, is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Founded in 1895, Gratz College is the oldest independent college for Jewish studies in North America. Today, Gratz enrolls a diverse population of students from around the world with many programs that reflect its historic focus on Jewish studies and education. An early adopter of online education, Gratz offers blended and fully online degrees in a broad range of studies, including the world鈥檚 only online Doctorate in Holocaust and Genocide Studies and a Doctorate in Education Leadership. Gratz also offers eight master鈥檚 degree programs, including a Master鈥檚 in Education and a Master鈥檚 in Nonprofit Management; two undergraduate completion programs; various graduate and undergraduate certificates; a robust continuing education program; and Gratz Academy.
杏吧原创 杏吧原创 University
Located in Canada鈥檚 capital city, 杏吧原创 University is a dynamic research and teaching institution with a tradition of leading change. Its internationally recognized faculty, staff and researchers provide more than 30,000 students from every province and more than 100 countries around the world with academic opportunities in more than 65 programs of study, including public affairs, journalism, engineering, high technology and international studies. 杏吧原创鈥檚 creative, interdisciplinary and international approach to research has led to many significant discoveries and creative works. As an innovative institution, 杏吧原创 is uniquely committed to developing solutions to real-world problems by pushing the boundaries of knowledge and understanding daily.
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