October 18, 2007

Delegation from Ireland, Germany visiting Purdue to announce student-exchange agreement

Ten members from the Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland and one from Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences in Germany will tour the campus and the various labs and classroom areas available to technology students.

Under the agreement, Purdue and Penn State will jointly receive $180,000 and the two European institutions will jointly receive 180,000 euros for the next four years to pay travel expenses for students to study abroad for a semester.

The funds are being provided by the European Union-United States Atlantis Program, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education. The program, jointly administered and funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and the European Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture, provides grants for exchange programs between Europe and the United States.

The U.S. institutions will send about six students each year to study at either the Dublin Institute of Technology or Hochschule Darmstadt, which is a technologically focused university. In turn, both European institutions will send the same number of students per year to study at Purdue and Penn State.

Michael Dyrenfurth, professor of industrial technology and one of the leaders of the Purdue agreement, said the funding will make it possible for students in all branches of technology - from aviation to computer-related disciplines to manufacturing - to receive a fully paid semester at either institution.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for students to continue their educations in technology while visiting a different country and culture," he said. "Students in this program will go to class and do the same type of studies they would do at their home institution, but by going abroad, they will learn to look at the world differently. They will really get their eyes opened."

Dyrenfurth said that in addition to sightseeing and attending classes in a different institution, students who study abroad have the chance to witness a different culture and to see how the government in another country works.

"What they find is that ours is not the only way to do things," he said. "This will benefit them greatly in the business world because it will help them learn how to solve problems, which is one of the main qualities managers look for in hiring new employees."

Dyrenfurth, along with Robert Herrick, department head of electrical and computer engineering technology, are in charge of Purdue's side of the partnership.

Purdue's involvement with the Dublin Institute of Technology began in 2003, when Dyrenfurth visited its facilities and officials from that institution visited Purdue. Dyrenfurth made subsequent visits with Herrick and other Purdue officials, including College of Technology Dean Dennis R. Depew, which led to the development of the formal agreement.

Purdue is the lead U.S. institution in the program and invited Penn State to join. The Dublin Institute of Technology is the lead European institution and invited Hochschule Darmstadt to join. Herrick said the plans call for an even balance in the number of students each of the four institutions will exchange each semester.

On Oct. 29, the European officials will end their visit at Purdue by boarding an airplane at 7:30 a.m. at Hangar 5 at the Purdue Airport. They will fly to Penn State to meet with officials there.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Sources:   Michael Dyrenfurth, (765) 496-6160, mdyrenfu@purdue.edu

Robert Herrick, (765) 494-7484, rherrick@purdue.edu 

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: For a schedule of times and locations for the campus tours, contact Kim Medaris, Purdue News Service, at (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

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