WICSO Delegation Visits Partner Institutions in Asia
February 28, 2026
DORTMUND, GERMANY — A high-level WICSO delegation has completed a successful two-week visit to partner institutions across Asia, strengthening bilateral cooperation and exploring new opportunities for collaboration in research, student exchange, and academic program development.
Delegation Members
The delegation was led by Ms. Alice Abraham, International President of WICSO, and included Adv. Shiju Augustine, Director of Administration & International Law, and Dr. James William, Secretary. The team visited India, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore over the course of 14 days, conducting meetings at 10 partner institutions and engaging with government education officials.
India: Expanding Partnerships
The delegation's first stop was India, where they visited four member institutions in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi. Highlights included the signing of three new Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for joint research projects in artificial intelligence in education, inclusive pedagogy, and learning outcomes assessment. The delegation also met with officials from India's University Grants Commission to discuss mutual recognition frameworks and quality assurance alignment.
In Bangalore, the delegation inaugurated the new WICSO India Research Hub, a collaborative space that will facilitate research coordination among Indian member institutions. The hub will host its first research symposium in September 2026, focusing on technology-enhanced learning in developing contexts.
United Arab Emirates: Strengthening Ties
In the UAE, the delegation visited three partner institutions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Discussions centered on expanding student exchange programs, with agreements reached to double the number of exchange placements available between UAE and European member institutions by the 2027 academic year. The delegation also explored opportunities for joint professional development programs in educational leadership, with a particular focus on supporting Emirati educators.
A new research collaboration agreement was signed with a leading Dubai-based university to investigate the impact of multilingual education on cognitive development and academic achievement. The study will involve researchers from institutions across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Singapore: Deepening Engagement
The final leg of the visit took the delegation to Singapore, where they engaged with three WICSO member institutions and visited two prospective members. The delegation participated in a roundtable discussion with Singapore's education authorities on quality assurance innovation and the role of accreditation in fostering international education hubs.
A highlight of the Singapore visit was the signing of a comprehensive student and faculty mobility agreement between WICSO and a consortium of Singaporean institutions. The agreement will facilitate seamless credit transfer, joint supervision of graduate students, and co-teaching arrangements across member institutions.
"This visit has been immensely productive. The enthusiasm and commitment of our Asian partners is truly inspiring. The agreements we have signed and the relationships we have strengthened will have a lasting impact on our network and on the students we serve across all our member institutions."
— Ms. Alice Abraham, International President, WICSO
Outcomes and Next Steps
The delegation's visit resulted in 15 new or strengthened partnership agreements, expanded exchange capacity for students and faculty, and identified promising areas for collaborative research. A detailed report on the visit's outcomes will be circulated to all member institutions and will inform the development of WICSO's Asia strategy for the 2026–2028 period. The next delegation visit is planned for South America in late 2026.