COLUMBUS -- Ohio State University President William E. Kirwan will lead a group of 12 university deans and other representatives on a nine-day trip to Japan, Korea and Taiwan in late June. The trip will give officials the opportunity to cultivate and nurture new and existing relationships with academic, business and government leaders in the three countries, and to strengthen ties with alumni in the region.

Kirwan, who will arrive in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 16, is scheduled to meet with several government leaders, including the new President of Taiwan, Shui-Bian Chen, and Taiwan's new minister of education, C.L. Tseng. He also will visit the National Chung Hsing University in Taichung, Taiwan; the National Taiwan University; Yonsei University in Seoul; and Tokyo University.

"In this exciting era of globalization, it is vitally important that Ohio State and the state of Ohio be well connected to the world's most important institutions and corporations," Kirwan said. "Asia is one of the most dynamic regions in the world. The countries we will be visiting are among the most technology-driven nations in the world, and this visit gives us an opportunity to engage in a dynamic exchange of ideas that will benefit students, faculty and staff. It also could open up new avenues of trade between Ohio and these rapidly changing economies."

Kirwan noted that there are an estimated 580 students from the Republic of Korea, more than 300 from Taiwan, and about 220 from Japan currently studying at Ohio State.

The trip also will allow university officials to follow up on contacts made during Gov. Bob Taft's visit in late January/early February 2000, raise Ohio State's visibility in a very important part of the world, and strengthen ties with Ohio's Japanese sister-state, Saitama. While in Japan, Kirwan and university officials also will visit Honda Motor Co. "Honda is a key partner in Ohio with Ohio State University," said Kirwan, "and we are pleased to renew friendships while in Japan."

Ohio State administrators, traveling June 16-24, who will accompany Kirwan on all or portions of the trip are Joseph Alutto, dean of the Fisher College of Business and executive dean of the professional colleges; David Ashley, dean of the College of Engineering; David Hansen, director of international programs for the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Dan Heinlen, president/CEO of the Alumni Association; Kerry Lynch, director of alumni affairs and special projects for the College of Engineering; Jerry May, vice president for development and president of The Ohio State University Foundation; Bobby Moser, dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and vice president of agricultural administration; Cheryl Ryan, director of international programs for the Fisher College of Business; Daniel Sedmak, interim senior vice president of health sciences and interim dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health; Thekla Reese Shackelford, member of The Ohio State University Foundation Board of Directors and co-chair of the university's billion-dollar "Affirm Thy Friendship Campaign" (she will accompany the group as a private citizen); Virginia Trethewey, executive assistant to the president, general counsel, and secretary to The Ohio State University Foundation; and Peg Watkins, assistant director of international admissions.

Ashley said the visits to these Asian universities will help nurture existing partnership agreements to mutually benefit faculty relationships, joint research projects and student exchanges.

Alutto added that he and other administrators in the Fisher College see the trip as an opportunity to open doors for current and future students.

"By strengthening our ties with businesses in Asia, particularly ones that currently hire our students, we can increase global internships for Ohio State students," Alutto said. "At the same time, we can showcase our executive MBA and the other full-time MBA programs to Asian students."

Kirwan also pointed out that there are large numbers of Ohio State graduates in the region and many of them hold important civic, political, academic and corporate positions. "We want to strengthen our ties with all of these individuals," he said.

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(LO)