USC and Queens’ College, Cambridge, announce undergraduate student exchange program

LONDON – The University of Southern California and Queens’ College in the University of Cambridge have formed an academic collaboration allowing a student per year to pursue coursework in residence at the partner institution.

The USC and Queens’ College exchange agreement is the first USC agreement with the University of Cambridge and each university will host its first undergraduate exchange student under this agreement in the fall of 2013.

“The University of Southern California provides significant opportunities for our students to engage with the world,” said Elizabeth Garrett, USC provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Queens’ College, Cambridge, has a storied tradition of excellence spanning over five centuries, while USC is one of the oldest and most renowned institutions along the Pacific Rim.  Students involved in this partnership will gain valuable perspective on these leading global centers of scholarly and cultural influence.”

This partnership, which was announced in October during the USC Global Conversation in London, was recently finalized.

“This is the first step in a relationship that we believe will deepen over time,” said Anthony Bailey, vice provost for USC Global Initiatives.

The University of Southern California, founded in 1880, is one of the world’s leading private research universities. USC enrolls more international students than any other U.S. university and offers extensive opportunities for internships and study abroad. According to the U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission USC is the third most popular U.S. college or university behind Harvard and Yale.  USC has also seen a 50 percent increase in UK applications from 2010-2011 to 2011-12 as cited by the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors survey.

With a strong tradition of integrating liberal and professional education, USC fosters a culture of public service and encourages students to cross academic as well as geographic boundaries in their pursuit of knowledge.

Queens’ College, founded in 1448, has been a centre of learning for more than 550 years. Queens’ College is one of the oldest and largest colleges of Cambridge. Committed to academic excellence and diversity, Queens’ offers one of the most comfortable and welcoming of Cambridge’s working colleges but still retains its historical charm, beauty and traditions. The College combines medieval and modern architecture in extensive gardens.