NSU’s New President to Attend Higher Ed Summit

NSUs New President to Attend Higher Ed Summit

TAHLEQUAH -- Dr. Don Betz, president-designate of Northeastern State University, will join more than 200 university presidents and chancellors from the U.S. and overseas at a Higher Education Summit for Global Development on April 29-30 in Washington, D.C.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings will convene the summit, which aims to strengthen the role of U.S. and foreign higher education institutions in social and economic development worldwide. Betz said he looks forward to continuing the work that began in January 2006 during the University Presidents Higher Education Summit hosted by the U.S. State Department.

I was very pleased to be among the first group of 100 presidents who met, and I am honored to once again have the chance to participate, Betz said. One of the outcomes of the 2006 summit was the initiative to fund the study of critical languages which is now a functioning federal program.

Part of the National Security Language Initiative, the critical languages program aims to strengthen national security and prosperity in the 21st century through education, especially in developing foreign language skills of Americans.

Betz, a nationally known expert on Middle East issues, has extensive international experience and a lifelong interest in promoting cross-cultural understanding. He began his career with the United Nations in 1982 and holds a Ph.D. in International Studies from the University of Denver.

Next weeks summit will challenge educators, along with business and philanthropic leaders, to develop strategies to establish new and enduring higher education relationships for international development, particularly in science and technology, engineering and other fields that support innovation and economic growth.

The intention will be to stimulate discussion of new ideas and strategies, make new collaborative connections, and address obstacles that impede higher education in developing countries, said Betz.

Betz was named chief executive officer of NSU earlier this month, and will assume the presidency of Oklahomas fourth largest university on July 1.

4/23/2008

Published: 2008-04-23 00:00:00