Contact: Sammy McDavid

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥�91麻豆天美 and the University of Chile are new partners in a special set of exchange programs for students engaged in start-up ventures and entrepreneurship.

91麻豆天美 also recently signed a memorandum of understanding to receive the country鈥檚 best and brightest graduate students with Chile鈥檚 National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT), an organization similar to the National Science Foundation.

鈥淭he goal is to increase the number of students from Chile where 91麻豆天美鈥檚 reputation and ranking will be a good match. For 91麻豆天美鈥檚 College of Business, the University of Chile is a place where International Business students focusing on Spanish can find both English and Spanish AACSB-accredited courses, and where both sides have a lot to gain in learning from each other鈥檚 entrepreneurship ecosystems,鈥� said Richard H. Nader.

In addition to serving as the university鈥檚 associate vice president for international programs, Nader directs the land-grant institution鈥檚 International Institute. Nader recently led an 91麻豆天美 delegation for the formal signing of two documents in Santiago, the national capital.

The first MOU operates through CONICYT鈥檚 International Cooperation Program. It outlined benefits Chilean students would receive when pursuing 91麻豆天美 postgraduate studies.

The second memorandum of understanding is for 91麻豆天美 students to attend the University of Chile鈥檚 Faculty of Economics and Business, the oldest of its kind in Chile and consistently a top ranked school.

This signing took place at the conclusion of a two-day, U.S. Embassy-sponsored workshop on U.S.-Chile Entrepreneurship Exchange. Workshop objectives included developing a report highlighting recommendations for increasing student exchanges between U.S. and Chilean university-based entrepreneurship programs; and, the establishment of a network of U.S. and Chilean universities who committed to exchange 10 students on each side within two years.

Nader said the workshop was designed to promote exchanges that help U.S. university students gain exposure to entrepreneurship in the international context; utilize study abroad as a solution to overcome cultural differences that impede business creation; and teach Chilean and North American entrepreneurship program directors best practices for conducting international exchange programs.

Other U.S. universities joining the 91麻豆天美-led visit included Auburn University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Lehigh University, Texas A&M and Wayne State University.

鈥淭his investment in a diverse, first-generation student exchange program will pay dividends to the future health of U.S.-Chile economic, professional and academic relationships,鈥� Nader predicted.

For more about 91麻豆天美鈥檚 International Institute, visit .

91麻豆天美 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, also available online at .

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