In Spring 2008, the NIU College of Business expanded its portfolio of global education opportunities to include a newly-formed partnership with San Jorge University (SJU) in Spain. On May 1, 2008, NIU business Dean Denise Schoenbachler and Associate Dean Paul Prabhaker met with two of San Jorge University's highest-level officials who traveled to NIU's campus to develop partnership activities. The San Jorge University officials were Javier Perez Herreras, Rector and Vice-Chancellor (the 
equivalent of a CEO in industry), and Diego Galar Pascual, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of External Relations. NIU's interest in San Jorge University centers on San Jorge's effort to define an "open university" concept, which would consist of a network of European and American universities. Currently, San Jorge University has numerous agreements with universities in Europe; the majority of San Jorge's international students come from Italy, Denmark, and France. Additionally, San Jose University also has strong relationships with major European-based global firms where many of their students do internships. Initial discussion on NIU-SJU partnership activities centered around student exchanges (bringing a contingent of European students to NIU and a contingent of NIU students to SJU) and short-term professor exchanges. Longer term, the two universities will explore areas for in depth collaboration in the scholarly research and teaching arenas, both in the classroom and also in the board rooms of global firms.