NKU to host Archbishop, leaders from Georgian university to expand global partnership programs

October 3, 2024 - Northern Kentucky University will host Archbishop Iakob, a delegation of leaders from St. Andrews Georgian University (SANGU) and a group of students from the universities’ dual-enrollment partnership program on October 7th and 8th.

Archbishop Iakob and SANGU delegation leaders will meet with NKU’s College of Health and Human Services and chairs of the Masters of Public Administration and Masters of Business Administration programs to discuss new and emerging partnership opportunities.

Northern Kentucky University was selected to partner with SANGU in 2020 in an effort to bolster Georgia’s national cyber defense. NKU’s College of Informatics and SANGU launched a joint, hybrid cybersecurity master’s degree program in 2023 and are now exploring more partnership opportunities with other colleges on NKU’s campus.

“We are thrilled with the opportunity to expand our partnership with SANGU to more programs on campus. This is the most significant international relationship in NKU’s 56-year history, and its pivotal in preparing students for successful careers in regional, national and global communities,” says Dr. François Le Roy, Executive Director of NKU’s Center for Global Engagement and International Affairs. “It’s also crucial as Georgia continues to affirm its sovereignty as an independent nation. This partnership not only strengthens our academic programs, but also supports Georgia’s national cyber defense and overall development.”

Since the academic partnership began, 120 Georgian students have been enrolled in the College of Informatics’ Master of Cybersecurity program in four separate cohorts. These students are employed in the public and private sectors, and are granted full scholarships by the Georgian Patriarchate. The first 30-student cohort will graduate this December with dual degrees from NKU and SANGU.

Through this successful partnership with SANGU, NKU continues to utilize its designation as a National Security Agency – Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education to further expand its programs on a global scale while emphasizing the defense of democracy. This initiative remains especially important in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, and Georgia’s regional circumstances as Russia currently occupies approximately one fifth of the nation’s territory.

For more information on NKU’s global engagement efforts, visit the Center for Global Engagement and International Affairs website.