Princeton University Announces Grant

Sovereign Bank, part of Banco Santander, has signed a three-year funding agreement with Princeton University to support international scholarly initiatives.

The gift will support existing university programs that allow faculty and students educational experiences with institutions and scholars from around the globe.

"If students wish to participate fully in today's rapidly globalizing world, they need to immerse themselves in the study of other cultures and societies," University Provost Christopher Eisgruber said. "I am delighted that the support of Sovereign Bank and Banco Santander will facilitate exchanges that will extend Princeton's scholarly energy and educational initiatives into a wide array of international venues."

Sovereign spokesman Edward Cafasso declined to reveal the amount of the donation, as did the university’s spokesman.

Banco Santander gave the gift through the Santander Universities Global Division, which has partnerships with more than 900 universities around the world.

"Fostering academic excellence through international collaboration, innovation, creative learning and research is a keystone of Santander's corporate social responsibility initiatives,” Banco Santander Chairman Emilio Botín said.

Effective immediately, the agreement will support:

• Princeton's Global Collaborative Networks, international scholarly networks between Princeton and centers of learning around the world. The program builds and sustains scholarly collaborations that promote career development internationally for all Princeton scholars. The program is administered by the Council for International Teaching and Research.
• Undergraduate student learning programs abroad, the university’s main resource for undergraduates seeking international experiences. The program is administered through the Office of International Programs.
• Global Seminars, which provides undergraduates with study abroad opportunities in the country and city of the seminar's subject matter. Led by Princeton faculty and instructors from the host university and other local institutions, the program is administered by the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies.
• The Visiting Student Research Collaborators, which provides visiting international graduate students an opportunity to participate in faculty-supervised research at Princeton. The program is administered by the Graduate School.