Two LI universities participating in ‘doctoral degree without borders’ program

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New York Institute of Technology and Stony Brook University are among nine universities participating in a “doctoral degree without borders” program. The multi-school initiative allows doctoral students at nineNew York City-area engineering schools take courses at each other’s institutions without any additional tuition.

Through the Inter-University Engineering Doctoral Consortium (IUEDC), led by NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Ph.D. students are encouraged to complement their primary program by taking courses of interest offered at different schools. The program provides access to specialty instruction and expertise that may not be available at their home universities. Students should be able to enroll in courses at other member institutions beginning in Fall 2024.

“As engineers, we have long known the importance of collaborating across departments and disciplines, in order to most effectively address the challenges facing our world,” Jelena Kovačević, the dean of NYU Tandon, said in a written statement. “This consortium signals the collective dedication of the institutions to remove barriers to advanced learning and rigorous scholarship, helping unleash the full potential of all our students while enrolled and in their post-graduate pursuits.”

NYU Tandon began assembling the consortium earlier this year, taking cues from a similar arrangement between the NYU Graduate School of Arts & Science and eight other area universities. Peter Voltz, vice dean for academics and at NYU Tandon, serves as the inaugural consortium coordinator.

“Doctoral students are exceptionally focused and have often chosen their field of study in order to work with a specific faculty member,” Voltz said in a written statement. “The consortium allows them to have access to a broader swath of courses across multiple universities.”

The nine participating schools comprise The City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering (New York City), Columbia Engineering (New York City), Cornell Tech (New York City); New York Institute of Technology College of Engineering and Computing Sciences (Old Westbury, and New York City), Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science (Princeton, NJ), Rutgers University School of Engineering  (Piscataway, NJ), Stevens Institute of Technology Charles V. Schaefer Jr. School of  Engineering and Science (Hoboken, NJ) and Stony Brook University.

“This consortium provides a unique opportunity for graduate engineering students to have access to a broad set of courses offered through the major universities in the New York Metropolitan area and the surrounding region,” Babak Beheshti, dean of New York Institute of Technology College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, said in a written statement. “IUEDC delivers an extensive platform for collaboration and scholarly exchange among its faculty and students. New York Tech’s College of Engineering and Computing Sciences is proud to be a founding member of this consortium.”

“The IUEDC provides a wonderful opportunity for the students across our universities to leverage the best curricula and programs for their unique educational journey,” Andrew Singer of Stony Brook University College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, said in a written statement This collaboration will undoubtedly bring about a positive impact on not only the educational paths of our own students but will also enrich the talented pool of students on each of our campuses. We are proud to offer such an exceptional experience to our students and to partner with strong programs across the region.”