Brian Watkins has been named the new director for the international partnerships unit at UGA’s Office of International Education. His appointment is effective June 5.
Watkins will be responsible for building UGA’s strategic relationships with universities and other institutions abroad. He will provide support to UGA deans and faculty in developing ways to advance international collaborative activities such as joint research projects, academic programs and student and faculty exchanges. The international partnerships unit works to strengthen UGA’s connections with the Atlanta Consular Corps and other international groups across the state.
Watkins has served as director of international education at the West Coast University in Irvine, California. He has experience developing partnerships to support study-abroad and faculty exchange programs in Panama, Belize, Costa Rica, Belgium, Germany, China, France, Moldova, Taiwan, South Africa, Spain, Vietnam, Japan and the United Kingdom. He also has negotiated partnerships with the International Red Cross, the Panamanian Ministry of Health and nongovernmental organizations in Central America and Asia. He has advanced joint and dual degree programs with academic partners in Panama, Germany and Vietnam.
“I am delighted that Brian Watkins will be joining the Office of International Education,” said Kavita Pandit, associate provost for international education. “His academic background and his extensive international experience will be invaluable as UGA advances an ambitious international engagement agenda.”
“The University of Georgia is an incredibly dynamic institution that has already made a tremendous global impact,” Watkins said. “There are great opportunities at the moment to build on this success through strategic partnerships that open up opportunities abroad while helping discharge the institutional mission at home. I look forward to joining the OIE team and working with all UGA stakeholders to identify and pursue these valuable relationships.”
Watkins holds a Juris Doctor from the College of William and Mary, and a Master of Philosophy degree in development studies from University of Oxford. Watkins also worked as an assistant attorney general for the Federal States of Micronesia and served as strategic adviser to the Indonesian Ministry of Finance.
