Why are student exchange programs important?
Walker: I want our students to be exposed to international students on campus here. It’s very important for our American students to have a global understanding in this global economy and know how to work with people in other countries. Why India? There are a lot of ties between our automotive industry and India so I want to build those relationships as their economy is developing and our companies are pursuing more joint relationships and plants there. It’s a big market. How is the program set up? We had something like over 200 students come from India last year. We licensed our partner in India to offer the first five courses of our master’s of science in automotive engineering there and introduced those students to local industry through tours, projects and guest lecturers we helped set up with companies there. Then those students come here and we pledge to work hard for the next seven courses to place them in paid internships in industry. When the first group came over BASF hired a
