Strategic Partnerships: Oceania

Penn State's strategic partnerships in Oceania transcend traditional boundaries, embracing a global mindset that enriches every facet of university life. Through these collaborations, research, teaching, and service are elevated by invaluable international experience. Students and faculty immerse themselves in diverse perspectives, driving innovative research. Joint initiatives with leading Australian and New Zealand institutions tackle complex challenges interdisciplinarity, yielding impactful solutions. Whether conducting groundbreaking studies, instructing with a worldly lens, or serving broader communities, these Oceanic alliances infuse Penn State with global knowledge. International experience becomes the catalyst propelling education beyond borders and shaping a better world through transformative discoveries. Penn State exemplifies how a globally engaged university can thrive. For more information on our strategic partnerships in Oceania, contact Alexandra Persiko at axp1225@psu.edu.

Alexandra Persiko, Director for Global Partnerships

Alexandra Persiko, Director for Global Partnerships, is responsible for Penn State Global’s strategic partnership initiatives. She manages a team focused on institutional partnerships in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eurasia, Europe and Oceania, as well as partnership agreements, and carries particular responsibility for the collaborations with institutions in Europe and Oceania. Alexandra has been working in the international educational field for thirty years, first for the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and subsequently as Director of International Operations at Prometric, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was responsible for the implementation and administration of testing centers worldwide, offering academic admissions tests and IT certification programs to international and U.S. students and clients.

Alexandra eventually returned to her home country of Germany and taught business English courses at the European Business School, Mainz University and the Universities of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden and Mainz as well as at numerous companies in the Rhein-Main area of Germany. During this time, she also provided translation and interpretation assistance to the governor of Rhineland-Palatinate during dignitary visits. After 11 years in Germany, Alexandra joined Penn State Global in 2018 and was initially responsible for partner engagement in the Europe and Oceania regions.

Alexandra is the recipient of a Fulbright International Education Administrator Award to France in 2024. She holds a BA in English Literature from Oberlin College and an MA in International Policy Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).

Alexandra Persiko, Director for Global Partnerships

Alexandra Persiko, Director for Global Partnerships, is responsible for Penn State Global’s strategic partnership initiatives. She manages a team focused on institutional partnerships in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eurasia, Europe and Oceania, as well as partnership agreements, and carries particular responsibility for the collaborations with institutions in Europe and Oceania. Alexandra has been working in the international educational field for thirty years, first for the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and subsequently as Director of International Operations at Prometric, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was responsible for the implementation and administration of testing centers worldwide, offering academic admissions tests and IT certification programs to international and U.S. students and clients.

Alexandra eventually returned to her home country of Germany and taught business English courses at the European Business School, Mainz University and the Universities of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden and Mainz as well as at numerous companies in the Rhein-Main area of Germany. During this time, she also provided translation and interpretation assistance to the governor of Rhineland-Palatinate during dignitary visits. After 11 years in Germany, Alexandra joined Penn State Global in 2018 and was initially responsible for partner engagement in the Europe and Oceania regions.

Alexandra is the recipient of a Fulbright International Education Administrator Award to France in 2024. She holds a BA in English Literature from Oberlin College and an MA in International Policy Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).