Fractional Director of International Partnerships

FRACTIONAL DIRECTOR- International Partnerships & Academic Collaboration

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Help build meaningful academic partnerships between Global (preferably European) and Indian universities.

Location: Remote | Europe

Organisation: Zoom Abroad – International Office

Commitment: Approximately 6–8 days per month

Compensation: Monthly retainer + performance-linked incentives

Contract: Initial 6 months, with potential for extension

About the Opportunity

Zoom Abroad is expanding its International Office services in partnership with an established Indian university. Our ambition is to develop a strong network of European and other global university partnerships that create tangible opportunities for students, faculty members and researchers.

We seek an experienced international higher education professional with established European university relationships, or strong university relation beyond Europe, strong knowledge of Erasmus+ and academic mobility, and experience facilitating institutional and research collaborations. This flexible consulting engagement may suit professionals currently or previously associated with European university International Offices, Global Engagement departments, Erasmus+ Offices or Research Partnership teams, subject to employer permissions.

Your Mission

Build and manage strategic European university relationships and convert them into active collaborations across four priority areas.

1. Student & Faculty Exchange Programmes

• Establish student exchange, semester-abroad and short-term mobility partnerships.
• Facilitate faculty exchange, visiting professorships and academic mobility.
• Identify Erasmus+ and other relevant funded mobility opportunities.

2. Research Collaboration & Joint Publications

• Identify European universities and researchers with complementary academic interests.
• Facilitate faculty-to-faculty introductions and joint research initiatives.
• Support collaborative projects, publications and research proposals.
• Explore relevant funding, including Horizon Europe and other eligible programmes.

3. International Internships & Research Placements

• Develop partnerships for fully funded student internships and research placements.
• Identify funded or partially funded internships and summer research opportunities.
• Connect university research centres, laboratories and industry partners.
• Support structured international placement programmes.

4. Strategic University Partnerships

• Identify and engage suitable European/ or other universities for long-term collaboration.
• Leverage institutional relationships to open substantive partnership discussions.
• Coordinate institutional meetings, negotiations and collaboration agreements.
• Facilitate MoUs and translate them into operational programmes.
• Act as primary relationship manager for European institutional partners.

Who We're Looking For — Essential

• 10+ years of experience in international higher education, partnerships, global engagement or academic mobility.
• Current or previous experience in a European university as Head of International, International Relations, Erasmus+ or Global Engagement function.
• Established professional relationships with European universities and international education stakeholders.
• Practical understanding of Erasmus+, academic mobility and institutional partnership frameworks.
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building and cross-cultural communication skills.

Highly Desirable

• Experience facilitating international research collaborations or joint academic projects.
• Familiarity with Horizon Europe and European research funding frameworks.
• Experience with international internships or research placement partnerships.
• Experience collaborating with universities outside Europe, particularly Asia.
• Ability to independently manage multiple institutional relationships and deliver measurable outcomes.

The Person We're Looking For:

• A Connector: Brings institutions, academics and opportunities together.
• A Relationship Builder: Establishes trust with university leadership and academic stakeholders.
• An Executor: Converts introductions into active programmes.
• Entrepreneurial: Enjoys building a partnership network.
• Outcome-Driven: Values real exchanges, research projects and collaborations over ceremonial MoUs.

What Success Looks Like

• Build a qualified pipeline of European institutional partners.
• Establish active student and faculty mobility partnerships.
• Facilitate joi