A key element of the University of St. Thomas' (UST) Greater Things 2030 Strategic Vision is leveraging international partnerships to support the University’s overall goals for excellence as a world-class Catholic university. This commitment to global bridge-building accelerated in September through various exchanges.
Visit to France
Dr. Hans Stockton, associate vice president for International Relations & Engagement, was invited to attend Partner Days events at UST’s French sister institution, the Catholic University of Vendée (ICES), in La Roche Sur-Yon, France. Over two days, Stockton met with university leadership and undergraduate and graduate students in history, law, and international relations. The visit aimed to promote UST as a destination for undergraduate exchanges and graduate student mobilities in business and international studies.
Through UST’s international Graduate Transfer Pathways agreement, master’s students at ICES and other UST sister universities can transfer into UST’s MBA or MA in Diplomacy & Strategic Affairs programs and complete their degrees in one year. Afterward, ICES students return to France to complete their home university degree programs, with many entering the French foreign ministry, military, and law firms. In the spring, twelve ICES graduate students in international relations are scheduled to begin their studies in UST’s MA in Diplomacy & Strategic Affairs program. The first cohort of ICES students in the MBA Program is expected in the next fall semester.
A Visit from Rome
On September 17, UST received a visit from Dr. Jose Alvarez, vice president for Strategic Initiatives and Operations at John Cabot University (JCU) in Rome, Italy. Located a short distance from the Vatican, JCU is a leader in international education and is accredited by an American accrediting agency. UST and JCU will explore opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, academic program collaboration, and immersive summer studies in various disciplines. UST entered into an MOU for International Cooperation with the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Spring 2024 and is exploring additional strategic opportunities in Italy. 
University of Santa Paula Joins UST Sister Universities
UST has finalized a new MOU for International Cooperation with the University of Santa Paula in San Jose, Costa Rica. This partnership will further expand UST’s global reach, enhancing student mobility and academic collaboration. This summer, the University of Santa Paula is serving as the local host for the Biology and Health Professions study abroad led by professors Gabe Villares and Albert Ribes-Zamora for twenty Celts.
UST Receives Delegation from Anahuac University, Oaxaca
President of UST Dr. Richard Ludwick welcomed Dr. Yoani Paola Rodríguez Villegas, Rector of Anahuac University Oaxaca (UAO), and Dr. David Ricardo Mayrén García, director of the UAO School of Medicine, to discuss potential academic and student exchange collaborations. 
As a result of this meeting, Dr. Rodríguez extended an invitation for UST to attend the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education’s September meeting of universities across Latin America and the Caribbean. Dr. Mayrén also met with UST’s Premed Program Director, Dr. Gabe Villares, to explore opportunities for pre-health-related internships.
Attending the Vatican Dicastery of Culture and Education Conference
Through the kind offices of Anahuac University Oaxaca, UST was the only U.S.-based institution invited to attend the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education’s conference for Centers of Culture throughout the Spanish-speaking Americas and Caribbean, held from September 17–18. Fr. Dempsey Rosales and Dr. Hans Stockton represented UST at the conference, gaining insight into the Vatican’s goals for international dialogue between Catholic universities throughout the world. This initial encounter led to Fr. Dempsey’s subsequent invitation to, and attendance at, the meeting of the Organization of Catholic Universities of Latin America and the Caribbean (ODUCAL). UST is already exploring opportunities with ODUCAL as reciprocal global gateways between Houston, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Strengthening Business School Ties with UPAEP in Puebla, Mexico
On the heels of the Dicastery meeting in Puebla, UST received the Dean of the UPAEP School of Business, Dr. Cynthia Montaudón, to discuss academic program collaborations with the Cameron School of Business. 
CSB Dean Mr. Bob Keith and Associate Dean Dr. Vinita Ramaswamy had a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Montaudón about the future of business schools and how best to integrate Catholic teachings and commitment to service with business curricula for undergraduate and graduate students. An articulation agreement has been completed, and the CSB MBA Program expects the first UPAEP students in Fall 2025.