K-State business dean lending accreditation expertise to Saudi Arabian university, building foundation for academic partnership

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Sources: Yar M. Ebadi, 785-532-7227, yebadi@k-state.edu;
and Katie Schurman, 785-532-2753, schurman@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415, ebarcomb@k-state.edu

Thursday, December 21, 2006

K-STATE BUSINESS DEAN LENDING ACCREDITATION EXPERTISE TO SAUDI ARABIAN UNIVERSITY, BUILDING FOUNDATION FOR ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP

MANHATTAN -- Yar M. Ebadi, dean of Kansas State University's College of Business Administration, is helping the university strengthen its ties to Saudi Arabia and possibly paving the way for more Saudi students to come to K-State.

Ebadi is a mentor for Prince Sultan University as it strives to earn accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a prestigious designation claimed by K-State and fewer than half of all business colleges. Ebadi regularly visits the university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to meet with student and faculty groups, as well as administrators and supporters.

During an initial visit to Prince Sultan University in November, Ebadi found interest in developing academic partnerships with K-State that could open doors for Saudi Arabian students and faculty to come to K-State. It also has the potential to provide opportunities for both K-State students and faculty to study and teach internationally.

"As a citizen of this international business community, I want to be a part in forming an academic community of students and faculty actively participating in the process of discovering and disseminating knowledge," he said. "My service as mentor to Prince Sultan University is a positive step in this direction."

Ebadi has helped K-State and other U.S. institutions successfully navigate the accreditation process. He stays apprised of accreditation updates and believes his expertise allows him to know what accreditation reviewers are looking for in a school.

Ebadi also stands apart from leaders of many other business colleges in the United States in his role as a mentor to Prince Sultan University. As an Afghanistan native, Ebadi said he is familiar with the region and has a better understanding of challenges unique to the culture.

While Prince Sultan University has the advantage of an informed mentor in Ebadi, K-State's College of Business Administration is getting to pursue its emphasis on internationalization. Ebadi said that the college had made great strides in this area under the leadership of Jon Wefald, K-State president, and M. Duane Nellis, K-State provost.

"A partnership with Prince Sultan University is an example of the broad interest in the region to collaborate with Western universities," Ebadi said. "It demonstrates the unlimited potential for academic partnerships in the region."

Ebadi said K-State will garner international visibility through the mentoring relationship. Likewise, Prince Sultan University stands to gain from its association with Ebadi and K-State's College of Business Administration.

"If Prince Sultan University is successful in its attempt at accreditation, it will position itself as a premier business school in the region," he said. "They, too, will have the opportunity to enhance their academic credibility and globalization efforts in seeking to develop an academic partnership with K-State."