Iona University Hosts International Delegation to Explore Entrepreneurship and Accreditation Trends in Higher Education
Participants visited as part of U.S. Department of State leadership program
New Rochelle & Bronxville, N.Y. – Iona University recently welcomed an international delegation representing countries from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), providing an opportunity for campus tours, networking and discussions exploring opportunities in accreditation and entrepreneurship.
Led by Iona’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, the visit was part of the federal Department of State’s Leaders Lead On-Demand Program, which aims to further develop cross-regional knowledge sharing opportunities.
“It was an honor to discuss our programs with such an impressive delegation from the MENA region and to enhance our international network,” said Dr. Christoph Winkler, endowed professor and founding program director of the Hynes Institute.
“It is wonderful to share our innovative and interdisciplinary work in entrepreneurship education, and we look forward to continued exchanges in the future.”
While at Iona, the MENA delegation toured both campuses in New Rochelle and Bronxville, including a visit to the newly opened Kelly Center for Health Sciences, the flagship building of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences.
The two-day, action-oriented visit included several discussions exploring the future of entrepreneurship education across higher education, business school accreditation standards, entrepreneurship education in health care, and the GaelVentures business incubator and community engagement programs at Iona. The group also networked with Iona’s administration, faculty, staff and students to further develop cross-cultural connections.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2025 national list of “The Best 390 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.