The Graduate School of Howard University has established new and important educational linkages with higher educational institutions on the Asian continent. Under the leadership of Dr. Orlando L. Taylor, Vice Provost for Research and Dean, Graduate School, fruitful collaborations have been forged with universities in Thailand and India.

Dr. Anita Nahal, International Affairs and Women's Studies Programs and Advisor, SYLFF Program at the Graduate School, received a Program Development Award ($10,000) from The Tokyo Foundation for collaboration with Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The SYLFF program, which is administered by The Nippon Foundation, the administering unit of the funding organization, The Tokyo Foundation, has played a valuable role in fostering international collaborations between the Graduate School and other SYLFF institutions around the world. Chiang Mai University is a SYLFF institution. The seed money from the Program Development Award made it possible for the following faculty and administrators from Chiang Mai to visit Howard in April 2004, Dr. Seksin Srivatananukulkit , associate dean of social sciences, Dr. Kosum Saichan, chair, Asian Study Center, Dr. Sanay Yarnasarn, associate dean of social sciences, and Dr. Veeravoot, associate dean, administration.

The Chiang Mai representatives met with representatives or administrators and deans from the departments of history, African studies, economics, sociology & anthropology, the Schools of Law and Social Work, the Graduate School, and the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center, the Office of the Provost and Chief Academic Officer, and the Graduate Student Council. A reciprocal visit by Howard faculty and administrators to Chiang Mai will likely follow in March 2005. If further funding is secured, this collaboration could lead to an exchange of graduate students between Howard and Chiang Mai Universities to conduct research on US-Asian, Indian and African American, and the African Diaspora in Asia Studies.

Following this initiative, the Graduate School reached out to Jadavpur University in Kolkata , India . Jadavpur University is also a SYLFF institution. Howard and Jadavpur agreed to collaborate to apply for a Program Development Award from The Tokyo Foundation. Jadavpur University received the $10,000 award and three faculty/administrators from Jadavpur visited Howard University in November 2004, including Dr. Joyashree Roy, professor of economics and director of the SYLFF Program, Dr. Biswajit Chatterjee, dean of social sciences, and Dr. Shyamal K. Sanya, pro vice-chancellor of the Jadavpur University. With the addition of the chemical engineering departmental representatives and the International Graduate and Professional Student Support Group, Jadavpur visitors met with the same administrative, departmental and student association units as the Chaing Mai visitors. Discussions emphasized methods to encourage graduate (master's and Ph.D.) research on US-India Relations, US-South Asia Relations, Indian and African American Studies, and the African Diaspora in Asia through student exchanges between the two universities. A Memorandum of Understanding is being developed that will allow three master's or Ph.D. students from Howard to go to Jadavpur University for two months to conduct primary research on topics within the rubrics mentioned above, with the first cohort of students scheduled for this summer. Howard and Jadavpur Universities will have joint responsibility for funding.

Drs. Taylor and Nahal also developed a US/India Studies Initiative, with the intent of reaching out to US businessmen of Indian origin to provide funding for an endowment. This endowment would allow student and faculty exchanges between Indian universities and Howard University and vice versa. It would also encourage other related academic activities like seminars and conferences.

Currently, U.S./India relations are expanding rapidly, with new opportunities for mutual exchange that will build respect between the governments and peoples of the two nations. Terrorism, HIV/AIDS, bilateral trade, environmental policy, and narcotics trafficking are some of the issues of vital concern to both nations. Moreover, there is a special connection between Howard and India .  The university currently has more than fifty faculty members and a number of administrators and students of Indian origin. 

The Graduate School has shared its proposal and held meetings to elicit suggestions and support.The School has already received the first check of $5000  towards the US/India Studies Initiative endowment fund from Mr. Ved Bansal of Bansal & Associates, Inc, Alexandria, VA .

Through this program and others of similar nature and scope, the Graduate School continues to provide an environment that embodies its motto: Where Learning and Research Make a World of Difference. Its collaboration with institutions in Asia, resulting in transcontinental linkages, is just one more example of the motto's implementation. Through these and other efforts, the school seeks to encourage increasing numbers of graduate students to become Leaders for America and the Global Community.