The university will pool its resources with other Atlantic Coast Conference schools during the next two years to offer expanded study abroad options, introducing cooperation to an association long noted for the scorching competition among its members.

This summer, one joint program will allow students to travel to the Caribbean island nation of Dominica, a study-abroad destination not previously offered here. Another, a partnership with the University of Miami will allow more students to study in Argentina and Uruguay. The ACC is a subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association comprising a dozen college and universities along the eastern seaboard, from Boston to Miami, that regularly compete with each other for spots in the NCAA tournament.

Existing athletic relationships with ACC schools opened the door to the study-abroad partnerships, said Saul Sosnowski, associate provost for international affairs. The university finalized plans for the coalition in November with 10 of the 11 other ACC schools, but the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill declined to participate.

The coalition furthers the university’s goal of encouraging more students to study abroad, Sosnowski said.

“It’s important to promote global citizenship and knowledge of the world,” he said. “It offers the possibility of pulling together the strengths of faculty in different places, and it also brings unique opportunities for different students. They’re going to have different experiences – different world views.”

Sosnowski said so far about 20 students from this university have signed up for the programs, which are still accepting applications.

The university plans to offer more opportunities with other schools in the future and hopes to expand the partnerships into long-term relationships, Sosnowski said.

All courses will count for university credit and the office of International Programs plans to offer scholarships.

University President Dan Mote has said he wants to encourage more students to study abroad because multi cultural experience is increasingly important to today’s job market.

Contact reporter Kate Campbell at campbelldbk@gmail.com.