On October 22, 2007, the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at The University of Texas at Austin announced a groundbreaking partnership with the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), a world-renowned university dedicated to the study of international politics and diplomacy.

The goal of the new partnership is to expand and deepen cooperation, innovation and exchange of ideas in higher education and advanced research on global affairs. The two countries will work together to study global problems, each bringing their unique perspectives to the discussion. The project, “Russia, America and the World,” will sponsor collaborative research, faculty and student exchanges, internships, joint conferences and symposia, and a joint Web site.

The partnership was announced at an event in Moscow, with a conference at MGIMO followed by a reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, Russian Education Minister Andrei Fursenko, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov and U.S. Ambassador William Burns spoke in support of the partnership. Letters endorsing the project from U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin were also read at the event.

The Austin American-Statesman: News about Texas colleges
“A partnership between UT’s Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations will be formally inaugurated Monday at a conference in Moscow.

The goal of the partnership is to deepen cooperation in higher education and research on global affairs. Faculty and student exchanges, internships, symposia and a joint Web site are planned.

U.S. Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings will speak about international cooperation in education at Monday’s event.” (“News about Texas colleges; University of Texas,” Austin American-Statesman, 10/19/07)
http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/10/19/1019hinotes.html