CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - A delegation from Assumption University in Bangkok, Thailand, is visiting the University of Northern Iowa this week to officially begin a new partnership with the Wilson College of Business. Nearly two years in the making, the agreement allows Assumption students to complete two years of study in Thailand followed by two years at UNI, earning any business degree. It marks the first such collaboration between the Wilson College of Business and an international university.

Students in this 2+2 program are expected to start attending classes on campus at UNI in fall 2026, with some possibly arriving as early as January. 

Extensive work has gone into aligning coursework between the two institutions. “We really like what they have to offer: the rigor of their classrooms and the fact that they have such a wide range of students asking about international opportunities when they aren’t even from Thailand,” said Chris Schrage, global opportunities coordinator and assistant professor of instruction for marketing and entrepreneurship.

Schrage experienced Assumption’s global environment firsthand while teaching two graduate marketing management classes in Thailand in the fall 2024 semester. Her 40 students represented nine countries, reflecting the university’s diversity. As an international institution, all courses are taught in English.

Opportunities for shorter-term study at UNI are also in development. Some Assumption students may visit next spring to see if a long-term degree program in Cedar Falls is the right fit.

While being taught by the prestigious Wilson College of Business is a benefit for the Assumption University students, leaders also see benefits for the UNI community.

“Bringing international students to UNI helps our students be exposed to different ways of thinking, different cultures and different ways of living,” said Mary Connerley, who holds the Bradford Chair in International Business and is the associate dean of the Wilson College and a professor of management. “We have a lot of students who like to travel on study abroad programs. We want to continue to offer those programs, but not all of our students can do that. So I think it’s great when we can bring more students here from different cultures. It can lead to our students developing some really deep friendships.”