In a continued commitment to expand its presence, reputation and impact around the world, Vanderbilt University has appointed Megha Madan as its inaugural senior director of global engagement and external partnerships.
Madan, who starts her position in August, will support efforts to bring the world to Vanderbilt and bring Vanderbilt to the world. She will report to Tracy Sharpley-Whiting, who holds the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Distinguished Chair in the Humanities and serves as vice provost of arts, libraries and global engagement.
Madan’s initial focus will be facilitating the renewal of Vanderbilt’s partnership agreements with Leipzig University in Germany and inaugurating one with the International University of Rabat in Morocco.
Vanderbilt established a number of collaborations with Leipzig University years ago, leading the administrations of the two universities to sign a memorandum of understanding that allows and encourages academic exchanges and facilitates joint research programs, student programs and a cultural exchange program. Leipzig University was founded in 1409 and has enjoyed 600 years of uninterrupted teaching and research, making it the second oldest university in Germany. It is also one of Germany’s top 20 research organizations. The university has made it a tradition to cross academic boundaries and promote interdisciplinary research.
The partnership has been so successful that Vanderbilt and Leipzig University will continue the relationship with a new memorandum of understanding, signed when representatives from the university visit in August. Vanderbilt’s new collaboration with the International University of Rabat is also thriving.
Vanderbilt this fall will host administrators and faculty from the International University of Rabat to explore partnerships in social sciences, engineering, and the College of Connected Computing. The visit will include plans to sign an educational collaborative agreement and a panel discussion on Mediterranean Africa. The partnership with the International University of Rabat adds to Vanderbilt’s MENASS (Middle East, North Africa, Sahel Sahara) collaborations, which also include the University of Haifa.
Daring to grow Vanderbilt’s global engagement
Madan’s appointment is just part of a strategy designed to increase support to Vanderbilt’s global engagement efforts. Madan’s recruitment and several other initiatives in the past six months have come in response to the recommendations of the Global Strategy Committee, which was appointed by Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver in January 2023 as part of a campus-wide effort to grow the university’s reputation and collaboration worldwide.
The Global Strategy Committee identified three main themes for its recommendations at the start of 2023:
- Establish the Office of Global Engagement, to be led by a vice provost for global engagement
- Educate more members of the global community about Vanderbilt and Nashville by bringing them to campus for research and learning experiences
- Send more Vanderbilt faculty and students into global settings to conduct research and share their findings, inspire through the arts and learn in diverse cultural settings
Madan’s hire will help advance those goals even further.
“Vanderbilt’s global connections and collaborations are essential to our mission,” Sharpley-Whiting said. “I am pleased to welcome Megha Madan to Vanderbilt and am excited for her vision to advance Vanderbilt scholarship and its global impact, broaden and deepen our international collaborations, build new relationships and enhance opportunities for students to participate in international learning. Bringing her aboard will allow Vanderbilt to continue its exciting momentum on the global stage.”
Madan is an accomplished higher education professional with expertise in global strategy, program management and partnership development, including engaging with comprehensive global audiences, advancing diversity, equity and inclusive leadership, and fostering innovative cross-border strategic partnerships. She has worked at Emory University for nearly eight years.
Since 2019, she has been the face of Goizueta Business School’s emerging global strategy by enhancing collaborations with institutional partners and strengthening global business education programs. Her role involved active collaboration with students, faculty and staff, serving as a vital liaison with Emory University leadership, Emory’s Office of Global Strategy and Initiatives, the Halle Institute for Global Research, and Advancement and Alumni Engagement.
Before her tenure at Goizueta, Madan contributed significantly to Emory University’s Office of Alumni and Engagement, particularly by focusing on engagement in key international regions aligned with institutional goals.
“I am thrilled to be joining Vanderbilt University and honored to work with a team of leaders dedicated to advancing the university’s academic and global impact. Vanderbilt’s emphasis on global collaboration aligns with my passion and expertise in cross-cultural exchange and international partnerships,” Madan said. “I look forward to leveraging my experience with this esteemed community to enhance global programs, expand international opportunities and further build on Vanderbilt’s global mission and strategy.”
Madan’s experience includes her work at the Institute of International Education in New York City, where she managed major U.S. education grants such as Fulbright, USAID and the Brazil Scientific Mobility Program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health promotion and public health from the University of Georgia and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law.
A time of change and collaboration
Madan arrives at a time when the Office of Global Engagement has hit the ground running with bolstering Vanderbilt’s global positioning. In the past six months, Sharpley-Whiting and her team have made substantial progress on several of the themes identified by the committee. The office has:
- Celebrated an expansion of 15-year partnership with Leipzig University, designed to foster scientific exchanges between the organizations.
- Co-hosted a conference with the Women’s Higher Education Network at the University College of London. This is the second conference Vanderbilt has hosted with this group; the first was held at Vanderbilt in spring 2024.
- Sponsored the Global Scholars in Residence as well as the creation of three new funds benefiting faculty conducting global research and collaborations.
- 2023–24 saw 17 Global Scholars representing 12 countries visit Vanderbilt through the Global Scholars in Residence Program.
- Planned the launch of VandyLit x Villa Gillet with Creative Writing in Lyon, France, in March 2025
To learn more about global initiatives at Vanderbilt, visit vanderbilt.edu/global.
