The College of Engineering has recently signed a cooperation agreement with the National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. The partnership will encourage greater cooperation between graduate students and professors at both universities and provide study abroad opportunities, according to the Web site for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The agreement is part of a growing initiative to increase interaction between the department and similar programs overseas by Richard Blahut, department head, said Beth Katsinas, director of external relations for the department.

“Blahut has taken a really strong interest in developing international relationships at the departmental level,” said Katsinas, who served as the liaison between the department, the National Chiao Tung University and other Illinois campus units.

The National Chiao Tung University has had a great response to the program, said Teresa Finis, director for international programs in Engineering.

“The program is competitive in Taiwan, so we get their very best students,” she said.

The partnership allows access to Electrical and Computer Engineering students from Taiwan and vice versa.

“Professors are continually looking for bright graduate students so that they’ll become leaders in their country and in their companies, allowing us access to their company, to their research. It’s a big circle,” said Katsinas.

This winter break, the College of Engineering plans to send a group of about 20 to 25 students and faculty to the National Chiao Tung University and nearby institutions to explore the living and learning environment in that part of the world.

Finis said that participation has not been as successful on the University’s end.

“The biggest hurdle has been to get UIUC students to apply for the program,” she said.

Several students, especially in Engineering, have been wary of participating in study abroad programs because there is a stigma of staying an extra semester, Katsinas said.

“Promoting it to our students, making sure they understand the benefits, making it as easy as possible is the challenge on our end,” she said.