New York, NY (11/4/09)—ASA Senior Vice President Dr. Alexander Agafonov today reaffirmed ASA Institute’s commitment to build meaningful and mutually-beneficial relationships with institutions of higher education outside the United States. “ASA belongs to a larger global community and we must seek out cooperation with educational and other institutions abroad as vigorously as we would those within the United States,” he said.

ASA has been actively pursuing opportunities to build relationships abroad. In July, Dr. Agafonov, was part of an official delegation of university and college administrators from schools across the United States to Taipeh, Taiwan, and he says that that trip has produced so many positive results for ASA including support for the institution’s international students program as well as an opportunity to develop a Chinese language program. The trip has also allowed Dr. Agafonov to learn more about the educational system of Taiwan and meet officials and colleagues from other colleges and universities in that country. “Real cooperation on academic and other areas between ASA and institutions in Taiwan and other foreign countries can only result in something positive for us,” he said.In related news, last month, ASA’s Coordinator for Student Services Analysis and Improvement Mr. Denis Dyshko, joined by two of his colleagues, spoke about ASA’s Learning Center in Rostov, Russia at a conference on Tutoring in Higher Education organized by the Pedagogical Institute of Southern Federal University. The ASA team led by Mr. Dyshko attended the conference as part of the growing relationship between ASA and the Pedagogical Institute. A few months ago, Drs. Larisa Guterman and Natalya Mozgovaya, officials from the same institution made a week-long visit at ASA to start a relationship that may soon result in a number of joint initiatives. “We will work very hard to duplicate these relationships with Taipeh and Rostov officials with other parts of the world.” Dr. Agafonov said.