UM & India

K. Knopper BEd MA MSc

Expertise

International entry strategies for higher education, strategic (academic/business) partnership building and international cooperation and intercultural communication.

Active as

Strategic Advisor India and contact person for the Maastricht University India Institute
Organisation: Maastricht University, Maastricht University Office (MUO)
Visiting address: Minderbroedersberg 4-6, Room 2.032, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Postal address: P.O. box 616, 6200 Maastricht, The Netherlands
Phone: +31-(0)43-3882771
Email: krista.knopper@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Strategic Advisor India
Organisation: Maastricht University, India Institute

Bio

Krista Knopper, Strategic Advisor India, joined Maastricht University (UM) in October 1998 and currently works for the Executive Board at the Maastricht University Office (MUO), Marketing & Communications Department as the Strategic Advisor India as well as coordinates activities and network of the Maastricht University India Institute (MUII).

Krista was trained in the field of Education and Training, Education Management, Intercultural Communication and Asian Studies. Her degrees are from Teacher Training College, Utrecht (The Netherlands), the University of Utrecht (The Netherlands) and Edinburgh University (U.K.).

She has lived and worked in the United Kingdom, Vietnam and India as well as in the Netherlands focusing on the fields of higher education policy development, strategic partnership and network building, teaching and management for capacity building as well as on curriculum development and teacher training. She has hands-on experience of the Maastricht University teaching approach PBL (Problem-Based Learning). With considerable experience gained both at Maastricht University and abroad she has trained English communication skills to university staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as high level professionals in the business and industry world. For the past 7 years she has worked on strategy and policy development for higher education as well as international collaboration initiatives. The latter included developing and successfully implementing a market entry strategy as well as managing an extensive network and partnerships with India, Maastricht University and Europe.

From August 2007, Krista Knopper and the Scientific Director India, Professor Frits van Merode, initiated and were responsible for the first stages of developing and implementing the overall Maastricht University India Strategy. As an Advisor to the Executive Board, Krista Knopper worked together closely with the former University President Dr Jo Ritzen, former Minister of Education to the Netherlands and Vice-President of the World Bank. Krista’s focus of expertise in her current position as Strategic Advisor India lies in building a focused market entry strategy for higher education and identifying strategic (academic / business / health sector) partnerships for international cooperation. She has outstanding network management skills which has led to measurable results such as, for example, the establishment of a UM India Advisory Board (including prominent Indian Embassy and industry members like Infosys, Philips, Unilever, CII); an increase of Indian students at Maastricht as well as an active Indian student community at the university; India specific student scholarships, 16 active Memoranda of Understanding with partners in India focusing on student and staff exchange; joint programme development and the development and implementation of various research projects financed by industry. In addition, Krista has raised the profile of the India Strategy through participation and presentations at seminars and conferences. She has contributed to the development of India focused curriculum modules for Maastricht University students and to establishing of the Maastricht University India Institute (MUII) in Maastricht and the Maastricht Education and Research Centre Pvt Ltd (MERC) in Bangalore. The experience gained as Strategic Advisor, India inspired the publication of an article: International entry strategies in higher education by Knopper, K. and F.v.Merode.