Destination of Choice

With more than $71 billion in investments from foreign companies doing business in Indiana since 2022, it is no wonder that our state continues to be a destination of choice for global companies wanting to do business in the U.S. Per the Forbes annual ranking, Indiana ranked among the top states to do business—#1 in 2023 and #2 in 2024.

As Governor Holcomb shared at the recently held Indiana Global Economic Summit, in 2023, more than 71 percent of committed capital in Indiana came from foreign companies. These investments create jobs for Hoosiers while also increasing tax revenues. Kudos to our governor who prudently reminded us of the myopic nature of trade protectionism and isolationist policies. In identifying the things that unite us, Governor Holcomb spoke about the global business of sport and the role it plays in bringing people together. And who better than the citizens of Indianapolis to understand the value and the role of sports in everything we do.

As the IGES was happening in Indianapolis, a team from IU Indianapolis was traveling in Africa and setting up a new global gateway office in Ghana, which will be IU’s sixth gateway facility. With this addition, IU has more international gateways than any other public university in the United States, which affords our students from Indiana the opportunity to travel abroad and learn about language, culture, and economic development in different parts of the world. Additionally, the gateways provide connections with universities and international businesses—many with employees who are IU Indianapolis alumni—and a greater ability to attract students from other countries who come to the U.S. in search of learning and career opportunities. Thanks to their education at IU Indianapolis, Hoosier students as well as those from across the country and around the world are contributing to the Indiana workforce, building the skills required for the economic development of our state.

Just as Indiana continues to be ranked among the best states in the U.S. to start a business, our international students are proud to share that Indianapolis is their destination of choice for higher education. At IU Indy we have more than 2,000 students from 139 countries whose presence reminds us that no matter where we come from, more unites us than divides us. As a public, urban, research university, IU Indianapolis attracts learners from all over the world to serve the talent and innovation needs of our state and region.

Go Jags!

Latha Ramchand
Chancellor