Drake has found a potential partnership all the way in Panama. In the past, Drake has sent various programs on J-Terms, such as education, to the City of Knowledge. The City of Knowledge is an old military base that has become an educational center in Panama. This Provost Sue Mattison, said the university hopes to further its connection with this great city.
Panama’s City of Knowledge is a government-sponsored cluster of academic organizations, technology companies and non-governmental organizations. It is essentially one large campus with a K-12 international school on site.
Mattison said the City of Knowledge is home to many great industries and organizations for U.S. and Panama City students to explore. Mattison said that the campus is also home to quality facilities, like its state-of-the-art recreation center, making it a good university to partner with.
Currently, Florida State University has a campus in the same city, but Drake is not hoping to build a campus. Instead, the University hopes to create a dual-degree program like the one starting in Qingdao, China, this year. This program would address Panamanian students’ specific wants and needs.
For example, Mattison said Panamanian students are interested in Drake’s Data Analytics program. Mattison said the need for a data analytics major has grown recently. Mattison explained that companies are collecting more data and need someone to analyze those numbers. Drake is then filling those gaps with programs in China and Panama.
“With artificial intelligence and the use or misuse of data, industries and organizations want people who are literate in information and technology,” Mattison said. “That’s only going to grow.”
Students in Panama’s City of Knowledge have also expressed interest in attending classes on Drake’s campus, an opportunity that Drake is interested in offering, Mattison said. The University is figuring out what this partnership will look like and if that will involve hosting students from Panama.
According to Mattison and Drake President Marty Martin, the partnership is in the creation stage. During his first visit to The City of Knowledge, Martin explored Drake’s connections in Panama. Back stateside, the administration is drafting a proposal and determining what the University wants the partnership to look like.
“We’re working to prepare a summary of what we can offer so that President Martin can share that with some of Panama’s industry leaders,” Mattison said.
Martin visited the country for the second time from Feb. 19 through Feb 26. During his first visit in early December 2024, Mattison said Martin connected with some of Panama’s most prominent industry leaders. For this second visit, he will strengthen and expand upon those relationships by meeting with various healthcare and technology professionals.
President Martin said he pitches the proposal for a dual degree program in The City of Knowledge because global opportunities like these are central to Drake’s mission.
“We’re committed to our mission, a part of which is preparing students to be responsible global citizens,” Martin said in an email to The Times-Delphic. “To continue to meet this mission, we’re constantly evaluating global partnerships that allow us to broaden Drake students’ worldview and experiential learning opportunities while remaining committed to increasing access to a Drake education for students worldwide.”
