- By Mabel Pais
MARY KATE NAATUS, Ph.D., (shu.edu/profiles/naatusma), assistant provost and dean of Continuing Education and Professional Studies (shu.edu/continuing-education) at Seton Hall University was chosen as one of ten senior United States university administrators to participate in an immersive two-week program under the Fulbright-Nehru Education Administrators Seminar in India in March 2025.
This prestigious seminar, granted by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, recognizes Naatus’s commitment as a distinguished higher education administrator to advancing international education and fostering global partnerships.
The IEA (International Education Administrators) Fulbright-Nehru Seminar, designed and administered by the U.S.-India Educational Foundation, provided U.S. higher education leaders with immersive exposure to India’s higher education system. Organizers explained, “This unique opportunity brought together higher education leaders from across the United States to explore India’s academic landscape, fostering meaningful dialogue on potential collaborations.” The cohort visited approximately 14 universities and colleges in Mumbai, Coimbatore and Delhi. The administrators engaged with Indian academic leaders, administrators and education experts, delving into the latest trends and developments in Indian higher education.
Katia Passerini, Ph.D. (shu.edu/provost/passerini-biography), Seton Hall provost and senior executive vice president, said, “Mary Kate exemplifies Seton Hall’s commitment to fostering a global mindset and creating opportunities for cross-border collaboration. Her participation in the Fulbright-Nehru Seminar strengthens our university ties with Indian institutions and furthers our mission of preparing students to be leaders in a globally interconnected world.”
Naatus highlighted that the program connects senior U.S. higher education administrators with Indian universities, private-sector leaders and government agencies to explore India’s higher education landscape and provide insight into academic structures, policy frameworks and cultural dynamics to foster global collaboration.
Through site visits and discussions in Mumbai, Coimbatore and Delhi, participants explored India’s evolving higher education landscape and identified avenues for international collaboration. Key institutional visits included the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Kumaraguru College of Technology (Coimbatore), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Mumbai) and O.P. Jindal Global University (Sonipat, Haryana – Delhi National Capital Region). The U.S.-India Educational Foundation’s meticulous planning ensured that participants gained deep insights into India’s government policies, educational priorities and opportunities for partnership, ranging from virtual exchanges and student mobility to joint research and degree programs.
“The insights I gained from this prestigious Fulbright Seminar will directly inform Seton Hall University’s ongoing efforts to expand academic collaborations with Indian institutions, attract top international students and foster a globally connected campus. These initiatives align with the university’s broader strategy to develop joint academic programs, enhance faculty research partnerships and strengthen cross-cultural learning opportunities,” Naatus noted. “Seton Hall University looks forward to building on the relationships forged through this Fulbright experience and deepening its commitment to internationalization, with India as a key partner in its global engagement strategy.”
Mary Kate Naatus, Ph.D
Naatus is an accomplished professional with a diverse background in education, business and global service. Her faculty role at Seton Hall University is professor, Department of Marketing (shu.edu/marketing), Stillman School of Business (shu.edu/business). Her current research interests include socially responsible marketing, business education, social media and small business marketing. Prior to her arrival at the university in January 2023, she served as professor and dean of the Guarini School of Business at Saint Peter’s University.
The Fulbright Program
Learn more about the Fulbright Program at fulbrightprogram.org
The U.S.-India Educational Foundation
Learn more about the Foundation, visit usief.org.in
Seton Hall University
One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall University has been developing students in mind, heart and spirit since 1856. Home to over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous majors, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.
Seton Hall’s 58-acre main campus is located in the quaint town of South Orange, New Jersey, only 14 miles from Manhattan. The University’s nationally ranked School of Law is located in nearby Newark, N.J. Our new Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus, situated in the towns of Clifton and Nutley, N.J., opened in July 2018. The IHS campus houses Seton Hall’s College of Nursing and School of Health and Medical Sciences, as well as the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
(Mabel Pais writes on Education, Business, The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health and Wellness, Spirituality, and Cuisine)
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