Have you ever wondered how many students attending NCU are from countries other than the United States? Would you be surprised to learn that it was less than 5 percent of all NCU students?
For a regionally accredited university with no physical residency requirements, that number has the potential to be much higher. This is where the new NCU International Team comes in!
Headed up by Tom Kim, former Campus Director and President of The Art Institute of Vancouver, the international team will help facilitate growth and further establish Northcentral as a premier international online university providing accessible, regionally accredited, graduate education to working professionals around the world.
“We are committed to helping NCU fulfill a rapidly growing global need for quality graduate education,” relates Kim. “Our focus will be on the enormous working middle class in emerging and developed markets who have been under-serviced by traditional forms of education.”
Made up of two full-time NCU team members and two consultants, the international team will actively travel around the world using their existing and newly-developed network of connections with academic, corporate, government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to share the value of an NCU education.
In addition to Kim, international team members include: Subash Kuttan, Deepak Gandhi and Philip Muskwe. This well-traveled group brings valuable knowledge and combined experience from five continents, including time spent in Malaysia, Australia, China, Thailand, UK, Germany, UAE, Zimbabwe, USA and Canada to name a few.
“We believe NCU’s values revolving around academic excellence, including continuous academic improvement with the necessary accountabilities, are at the core of our message to long-existing contacts at organizations,” notes Kim. “Our goal is to bring NCU onto the global stage to be recognized as a graduate university that is truly student-centered and committed to continuously improving its academic quality. In doing so, we will dramatically grow the international student and faculty population at NCU.”
Where other universities may have struggled in their attempts to reach the global market, Kim believes NCU is positioned for success thanks to NCU’s leadership and the exceptional support from all NCU team members.
“We are staking our personal and professional relationships and reputations on NCU’s commitment to deliver excellent, student-centered, high quality education,” explains Kim. “The global vision of the leadership and the support of all team members in all departments will help ensure the success of our mission.”
Please join us in welcoming the NCU International Team!
Tom Kim
After nearly eight years as Campus Director and Campus President of The Art Institute of Vancouver, Tom Kim is thrilled to be joining NCU as Vice President—International. Kim believes his greatest accomplishments while at AIV include taking four small, acquired schools offering certificate and diploma programs and turning them into one degree-granting institution focused on academic quality, learner-centered education, and strong employable outcomes for its graduates. In addition, AIV has had the highest percentage of international students for many years amongst EDMC schools. Kim’s post-secondary education includes a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in International Business with a minor in Marketing, and an MBA in Finance, both from McGill University in Montreal. Kim was born in Bangkok, Thailand, to Korean parents and grew up in Montreal speaking several languages.
Subash Kuttan
Subash Kuttan joins the NCU International Team following a three-year stint as Director of Recruitment at a university in Vancouver with a sizable population of international and online students. His prior work experience includes Sales Manager for Centaur Conferences in London, England, and Sales Executive for Telecom New Zealand in Auckland. He brings with him a consistent history of achieving sales objectives and excelling in high pressure environments, while maintaining composure to lead his team to positive outcomes. Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Kuttan’s family immigrated to Australia where he spent his formative years in the suburbs of Melbourne. He then moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where he completed his high school education and later earned his diploma at King’s College. A new venture brought him to China where he spent two years living in the provinces of Wuxi and Suzhou and learned how to speak Mandarin.
Deepak Gandhi
Born and raised in Delhi, India, Deepak Gandhi has since lived and worked in several different states of India and in various countries, including Singapore, UAE, Thailand, Mauritius, UK, Germany, USA and Canada. Gandhi has held senior HR and strategy positions, including 10 years with the Tata Group, as well as key academic positions, such as academic Dean at the Indian Institute of Management (Shillong). He has since been active in consulting, human resources training, organizational and management development, sustainable strategy development, and strategic business communication. His formal education includes, but is not limited to, a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Law, Bachelor of Law (LL.B)—Labor Laws, and Post-Graduate Diplomas in Management and International Law from Delhi University. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Business Strategy from London University in the U.K. (distance ed). Gandhi recently co-authored a book titled Poor Little Rich Slum, which was released in June 2012 and widely distributed.
Philip Muskwe
Philip Muskwe is a Human Resources professional with a proven track record in the areas of contract administration, collective bargaining, and aligning HR initiatives with strategic objectives. Muskwe has worked in several industries, including natural resources, textile, and education in Zimbabwe, United Kingdom and Canada. He holds a BSc and is in the process of completing his MBA. Muskwe’s network of professional relations spans several countries in Africa, including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
