Arizona State University (ASU) Partnership Visit – Chris Johnson

If you walked through the Administrative Building today, you probably heard “co-taught,” “credit maps,” and “next cohort” more than once. Chris Johnson, Senior Director & Head of Global Partnership Development at Arizona State University (ASU), spent the day with Galala University leadership, program directors, and students—checking progress on our dual-degree tracks and sketching what’s next.

What actually happened (a quick timeline)

• 09:30 Executive briefing with Prof. Dr. Mohamed El-Shinawi and the Vice President for Academic Affairs: status of current dual degrees, enrollment and persistence data, and new disciplines under review.

• 11:00 Program roundtables: directors aligned syllabi updates, assessment rubrics, and the 2026 intake calendar; agreed on clearer advisor handoffs for students moving between GU and ASU modules.

• 13:00 Student session: Q&A on transfer windows, scholarship pathways, and how to leverage ASU’s digital resources while staying rooted in GU labs and studios.

• 15:00 Media interview: Johnson outlined the partnership’s results to date and a roadmap for expanding co-taught offerings and short, stackable credentials.

Notes from the room

• Dual-degree logistics are moving from “project” to process—standardized credit articulation and shared advising checklists will go live for the next intake.

• New ideas on the table: short winter/summer intensives co-led by GU–ASU faculty, more industry-linked capstones, and expanded access to ASU’s online toolkits for research skills and academic writing.

• Student ask (heard repeatedly): keep visa, housing, and course-selection guidance in one place with named points of contact. Action taken—advising hub will publish a single-page playbook this term.

“Partnerships work when students can feel them—courses that count, mentors who answer, and doors that open,” Johnson said after meeting with students.

The visit wasn’t ceremony; it was maintenance and momentum. GU and ASU left with a short action memo—owners, deadlines, and the next review date—so today’s talk becomes next semester’s timetable.