UAlbany Expands Study Abroad Opportunities in South Korea, Spain and France
By Bethany Bump
ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 30, 2025) — The University at Albany is launching new and expanded opportunities for students to study abroad in South Korea, Spain and France.
Beginning in Spring 2026, UAlbany students will have additional opportunities to study abroad in South Korea at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU). Beginning in Fall 2026, students from the College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering (CNSE) and Massry School of Business will be able to study abroad through the Institut d'ingénierie et de management de Grenoble of the University of Grenoble Alpes in France, and students from CNSE will be able to study abroad through the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) in Spain.
Students will also have new opportunities to earn dual degrees through SKKU and UPV.
“The University at Albany’s mission is to educate engaged global citizens, and study abroad programs are a critical element of that work. When students are given the opportunity to explore new cultures and languages, they are better prepared to lead in a globally connected world. I am grateful to our educational partners in France, South Korea and Spain for their collaboration on these exchange programs,” said UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez. “The dual degree agreements that we have established with Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea and Polytechnic University of Valencia in Spain open even more opportunities for UAlbany students to gain global experience, further cementing UAlbany’s commitment to international education.”
“We are particularly excited to have study abroad opportunities that fit STEM students. The programs will provide both discipline-specific coursework taught in English and the cultural and linguistic experiences that are the bedrock of education abroad,” said Susanna Fessler, interim vice provost and dean of the Center for International Education and Global Strategy (CIEGS) at UAlbany. “I encourage UAlbany students to talk with their academic advisors and Education Abroad staff to start planning the greatest adventure of their academic career.”
South Korea
Rodríguez met with SKKU President Ji-Beom Yoo this summer to sign an agreement allowing undergraduate and graduate students at UAlbany to study abroad at SKKU, a private research university based in Seoul, starting in Spring 2026.
While the opportunity is open to all majors, students in STEM majors such as engineering, computer science, cybersecurity and informatics will be able to participate without extending their graduation timeline. SKKU’s relationships with industry partners, including Samsung Group, the Hyundai Motor Company and LG Electronics, are expected to increase UAlbany students’ access to global internships, research and career opportunities.
UAlbany faculty are also involved. CNSE Dean Michele J. Grimm and Cybersecurity Department Chair Ariel Pinto will teach next summer for SKKU’s International Summer Semester, which is open to UAlbany students to attend as part of the bilateral exchange.
In addition, graduate students studying public administration will be able to earn their Master of Public Administration degree from both SKKU and UAlbany simultaneously within two years starting in Fall 2026, thanks to a new dual degree agreement reached between the two universities.
“UAlbany MPA students will find at SKKU, world-class researchers and instructors, as well as a vibrant community of motivated students studying public administration and policy,” said Susan Appe, associate professor and MPA director at UAlbany. “Like UAlbany, SKKU is a university that values and promotes public service. We look forward to both hosting SKKU students here at UAlbany and sending our excellent students to Seoul for the dual-degree agreement.”
The partnership with SKKU expands study abroad options for students interested in going to South Korea, a popular destination among UAlbany students. UAlbany currently has very active exchange partnerships with Yonsei University and Seoul National University.
Spain
UAlbany students will also have new study abroad options in Spain.
The University announced this past July that it had signed a new agreement with Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) in Spain to launch a dual master’s degree program in Electrical and Computer Engineering. The partnership will allow engineering and computer science students to pursue a degree from each university and spend time on both campuses.
“Usually, engineering majors do not have flexibility for study abroad experiences, but in this case, this study abroad partnership is designed for these students,” said Rachel Moody, director of International Academic Partnerships and International Academic Advising for CIEGS.
While in Spain working on this agreement, the University also worked to strengthen the UAlbany in Valencia study abroad program, which has been in operation since 2022. Beginning in Spring 2026, UAlbany students participating in this program will be able to take courses taught in Spanish or English in a variety of subjects at the Catholic University of Valencia.
Together, these programs offer students from all majors a chance to study abroad in Valencia, Spain.
France
In August, UAlbany signed an agreement with the Institut d'ingénierie et de management de Grenoble (Grenoble INP-UGA), the engineering and management division of the University of Grenoble Alpes in France that will enable CNSE and Massry School of Business students to study abroad there beginning in Fall 2026.
UAlbany’s Center for International Education and Global Strategy is working with the University of Grenoble to open this exchange opportunity to more majors by Fall 2027, and to add dual degree pathways for CNSE students.
The new agreement between UAlbany, the University of Grenoble Alpes and Grenoble INP-UGA builds on an existing partnership UAlbany has developed with the Polytech Group, a consortium of 16 public university schools of engineering in France.
UAlbany currently offers 27 programs in 12 countries, including semester, summer and winter options.