Global Partnerships & Outreach

What We Do

The Global Partnerships & Outreach (GPO) team works in collaboration with faculty, university administrators and partners around the world to advance UConn’s global initiatives. The work of GPO comprises two functions:

• Global Partnerships: On the global partnerships front, the GPO team promotes relationship building and collaboration among the UConn community and partner institutions around the world. This is done through providing support in drafting international agreements; sharing funding and engagement opportunities; planning outreach events; as well as collecting data and reporting on UConn's global activities.  The team works closely with the University’s Office of the General Counsel to construct specialized agreements tailored to School/College and partner programmatic needs. GPO also oversees involvement  in global networks, such as Universitas 21, as well as interaction with United Nations units/programs and subsequent reporting on such efforts.
• Special Initiatives: GPO manages the Vice President for Global Affairs' special initiatives, including but not limited to Norian Armenian Programs and Abrahamic Programs, which includes organizing outreach programs and events with global and local partners.

A. Tolga Turker, Ph.D.
Director of Global Partnerships and Outreach
E-mail: atturker@uconn.edu

As Director of Global Partnerships and Outreach, Tolga Turker serves as a key member of the Global Affairs leadership team and develops opportunities to execute UConn`s global strategy. He collaborates with UConn schools, colleges, and administrative units to develop and expand international partnerships and programs as well as review partnerships with international institutions in the areas of research, teaching, and service. Tolga also oversees training and service programs developed by the Global Training and Development Institute. Prior to joining UConn Global, Tolga oversaw University of Arizona`s (UA) microcampus dual degree partnerships, Global Direct online pathways programs, and noncredit programs offered in Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this role, Tolga served as a full-time faculty member in Political Science Departments in Turkey and Kazakhstan and led university`s integration to European Higher Education zone.

Tolga holds Ph.D. in Political Science (University of Cincinnati, 2008), Master of Arts in International Relations (Eastern Illinois University, 2000) and Bachelor of Arts (Bilkent University, 1998). He continues to teach graduate courses in political Islam and politics in Central Asia at the University of Arizona`s International Security Studies (MA) program.

Allison Casaly, Ph.D.
Global Initiatives Coordinator
E-mail: allison.casaly@uconn.edu

Since graduating from UConn with a BA in Anthropology and Political Science, Allison has spent her career in higher education. She conducted research and taught at New York University while working on her Ph.D. in Archaeology, which she earned in 2021. Her research on Bronze Age Europe led her to conduct fieldwork in Britain, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and France, taking part in many international collaborations along the way. In her new role, she hopes to build productive long-term relationships between UConn and partner institutions worldwide.

Maz Htoo
Partnerships Specialist
E-mail: maz@uconn.edu / tin_maung.htoo@uconn.edu

Before joining the Global Partnerships & Outreach team at the University of Connecticut, Maz spent over 7 years as social enterprise consultant in Myanmar, developing and transforming various social enterprises that supported women’s empowerment and at-risk and homeless youth. He has served as an adjunct lecturer of social entrepreneurship for universities in Myanmar and Switzerland, including University of Business and International Studies in Geneva and Swiss Business School in Zurich.

Maz holds a BA in English from the University of East Yangon, a BSc (Hons.) in Business Information Technology from the University of Greenwich and a MA in Business Information Systems from Australian Catholic University. He researches and writes on productivity and economic development in Myanmar.

Kinga H. Karlowska
Global Initiatives Coordinator
E-mail: kinga.h.karlowska@uconn.edu

Kinga comes to the Office of Global Affairs with project management experience in public service, academia, and non-profits. She has worked at the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants, building youth programs and delivering essential services for refugee children. Most recently, Kinga aided legislators at the Connecticut General Assembly as a constituent engagement coordinator. Kinga holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a master's degree in International Relations from UMass Boston. During her education, she studied in France, Poland, and Kosovo, in addition to conducting research in Turkey. In her role at the Office of Global Affairs, she hopes to foster global curiosity and engagement among UConn students and faculty.

Marisa Tatiwong
Program Coordinator (Global Partnerships & Agreements)
E-mail: marisa.tatiwong@uconn.edu
Phone: +1 860.486.4112

Marisa joined UConn Global Affairs in September 2019 after working in corporate partner relations for UConn’s Center for Career Development since 2017. Prior to coming to UConn, she lived in India and Thailand since 2008, working with social enterprises and a study abroad institute to promote sustainable development initiatives and social justice.

Marisa graduated from UConn with a Master in Business Administration (2021) and B.S. in Business Administration (2008).

Rui Wu
Global Partnerships Graduate Assistant (Research & Database)
E-mail: rui.wu@uconn.edu

Rui is a graduate student in Human Development and Family Science. Before joining UConn Global Affairs, she worked as a research assistant at the HDFS department. Her research focused on bias-based victimization, discrimination, exclusion, and bullying and their impact on adolescent mental health. She also holds a master's degree in Communication.