Seattle Pacific and Quality Schools International Form Academic Partnership

An international school operating in 31 countries is working with Seattle Pacific University to explore academic partnerships for students and collaborative teaching opportunities with faculty.

Quality Schools International (QSI), a nonprofit school organization founded by two SPU alumni, recently signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with Seattle Pacific. The agreement aims to provide student exchanges between the two schools; joint research projects with faculty, graduate students, and scholars; and a college preparatory program for QSI high school students.

Headquartered in Slovenia, QSI operates 37 schools with more than 7,000 students from elementary through high school. Schools are located on five continents, including locations in Ukraine, China, Venezuela, and Vietnam. The organization was founded in 1991 by SPU alumni Jim Gilson ’56 and Duane Root ’57. They wanted to create schools with a zero percent dropout rate and a place where every student was expected and encouraged to succeed. Much of the organization’s growth came at the request of the U.S. State Department, and 21 QSI schools are located in cities that have American embassies or consulates.

This latest MOU comes after similar arrangements Seattle Pacific made with several Asian universities and education organizations. SPU’s recently launched the Office of Global Engagement, which serves its international students and works to connect with international communities and seek academic exchange opportunities. Seattle Pacific currently enrolls approximately 150 undergraduate students and 50 graduate students from 52 countries.

Posted: Thursday, February 28, 2019