Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University officials hope a recently signed international agreement will help bolster a new department in the College of Technology.

ISU signed the pact in the summer with the University of Salford, which is world-renowned for its School of Built Environment, said Bradford Sims, dean of the ISU College of Technology, which premiered its own built environment department this fall. The agreement between ISU and Salford provides the framework for future cooperation between the two universities, which the pact notes could exist in areas ranging from publications to curriculum and visiting professors.

"As we develop our department of built environment, we thought it would be a great connection to work with an existing, well-established built environment program," Sims said, "which happens to be the School of Built Environment in Salford."

ISU and Salford have already started a relationship. Two members of Salford's School of Built Environment visited ISU in March, and ISU professor Robert English visited Salford in May. While visiting the university, English attended a conference and a workshop, and began to cultivate a relationship with Salford's faculty and administration.

While no plans have been finalized, both universities are continuing discussions for future cooperation.

"We hope we build a stronger and stronger relationship with the University of Salford over the years," Sims said, "and these are our first steps to do such a thing."

Contact: Bradford Sims, dean, College of Technology, Indiana State University, 812-237-3166 or bradford.sims@indstate.edu

Writer: Austin Arceo, assistant director of media relations, Indiana State University, 812-237-3790 or austin.arceo-negrich@indstate.edu