UST Heeds the Call to Engage in International Cultural, Scientific Exchange

University of St. Thomas- Houston puts a lot of time and energy into creating strong and meaningful international relationships to benefit the student experience. UST's international network of Catholic universities continued to expand and deepen this summer. UST can now boast more than 50 agreements with sister institutions.

Dr. Hans Stockton, UST associate vice president for Government & International Relations, said this engagement is core to what makes us University of St. Thomas-Houston.

"Bridging all of these global activities is the call of Ex Corde Ecclesiae(From the Heart of the Church) to Catholic universities throughout the world to pursue the "Joy of Truth" (Veritatis Gaudium) by engaging in scientific and cultural exchange," Dr. Stockton said. "UST leverages such partnerships to open the doors to student and faculty exchange, joint research initiatives and academic program collaborations."

He notes one recent example being a student and faculty exchange project with the Catholic University of Valencia spearheaded by UST's Dr. Maia Larios-Sanz (Department of Biology). UST launched new international agreements with Catholic University of Valencia and Catholic University of Portugal, as well as renewed its Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation with one of its longest standing sister institutions, Mary Immaculate College (Ireland).

Receiving Visitors from Afar

In August 2025, UST received Fr. Johnson Prasant Palakkappillil (CMI), former Principal and current Dean of Alumni Relations of Sacred Heart College in Kochi, India. This relationship was first formalized in 2023 because of introductions made by Dr. Beena George, professor of Management. A wide-range of topics were covered on potential academic collaborations and international mobility opportunities between Kochi and Houston. Fr. Prasant then concelebrated Mass with Campus Chaplain Fr. Eduardo Rivera before enjoying a Texas BBQ lunch.

"Fr. Prasant was wonderful to meet," said Fr. Eduardo. "It was a joy to have him with us at Mass in the Chapel of St. Basil. We wanted to give him a taste of real Texas barbecue. He was asking Dr. Stockton and I what we recommended to eat as we passed through the barbecue line. Of course, we recommended the brisket and we tried to warn him about the spiciness of the beans, but he shrugged it off. He tasted the beans and did not break a sweat, meanwhile Dr. Stockton and I felt like our mouths were on fire."

Fr. Eduardo said they continued the conversation at the table, discussing the similarities and differences between Catholic education in India and the United States.

"It was wonderful to hear that in both countries Catholic education seeks to shape not just the mind, but the hearts and souls of students, faculty and staff members," Fr. Eduardo said. "I found it edifying to hear that many students in Sacred Heart College travel great distances and work long hours to attain an education. It reminds me of many of our students at UST, some of whom commute more than an hour every day to attend our University in addition to working to support their family and education. At both Sacred Heart College and University of St. Thomas, our students sacrifice so much, but they are willing to do this because they love our communities."

UST and Sacred Heart College have already engaged in exploratory meetings for academic degree program collaborations and student exchange. One such discussion revolves around mechanisms that allow graduate students at select sister institutions to pursue master's degrees at UST through a Graduate Transfer Pathway Agreement. UST has signed such agreements with sister institutions in France, Mexico and Taiwan with more in process.

This past spring, 14 graduate students from the Catholic University of Vendee (ICES) began studies in the MA Diplomacy & Strategic Studies under the stewardship of Dr. Yao-Yuan Yeh, chair of the Department of International Studies and Modern Languages. Additional students are expected to begin the MBA at UST in the spring semester.

Joining Catholic Universities from Across the Globe

Also this summer, Fr. Dempsey Rosales Acosta SSL., STD., director of the UST Center Semillero and Interim President at the time, and Dr. Stockton represented UST at the 28^th annual meeting of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU). IFCU was recognized by a Decree of the Holy See in 1948 and now has a membership of more than 200 Catholic institutions of higher education. The Federation collaborates extensively with the Vatican's Secretariat of State, Dicastery for Culture and Education and member institutions.

"It was truly special for me to be a part of IFCU, of this vibrant gathering, and to engage directly with so many inspiring university leaders from around the world," Fr. Dempsey said. "The IFCU conference served as a powerful testament to the unity and shared mission of Catholic universities worldwide. It was an inspiring occasion to witness firsthand the collective dedication to academic excellence, ethical leadership, and service that underpins these institutions."

Fr. Dempsey said the atmosphere was one of profound camaraderie, where diverse perspectives converged on the common goal of advancing Catholic higher education in a rapidly changing world.

"For me, a standout aspect of the conference was the unparalleled opportunity to engage with a multitude of university leaders from Japan, Lebanon, Chile, Colombia, Italy, France, Ireland, Australia, Hong Kong, among others," Fr. Dempsey commented. "These interactions offered invaluable insights into innovative educational strategies, successful community engagement initiatives, and forward-thinking approaches to global challenges."

Both Fr. Dempsey and Dr. Stockton returned to Houston with a long list of follow up conversations with new sister university candidates in Argentina, Chile, Japan, Lebanon and Mexico to name a few.

"Creating global encounter and dialogue through partnerships is a core tenet of the University's strategic plan and mission," Dr. Stockton said. "As Catholic universities are called by the Church to engage in international scientific and cultural exchange, our community is enriched by such exchanges. Our international students, programs, scientific collaborations and studies abroad provide all of us opportunities to learn and practice goodness, discipline and knowledge on the world stage and here at home."