REES is very active as a catalyst for expanding the international aspects of departmental teaching and research. The center administers an extensive system of bilateral and multilateral partnerships with institutions in Russia, Ukraine, and Central and Eastern Europe. These provide a base for faculty and graduate student research, undergraduate study abroad, overseas language study, training and development projects, and frequent interaction with scholars native to the region. Several international partnerships have been funded by federal or foundation grants. The University's major partner institutions in the region are:
- Albania
University of Tirana - Bosnia
Sarajevo University, University of Banja Luka - Bulgaria
American University in Bulgaria, Sofia University, New Bulgarian University, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Croatia
University of Zagreb - Czech Republic
Charles University, Dartmore Institute for Central European Studies - Hungary
Budapest University of Economics, Szeged University - Kosovo
University of Pristina - Macedonia
South East European University - Montenegro
University of Montenegro - Poland
University of Lodz, University of Warsaw, Jagiellonian University, Prolog Language School - Romania
Babes-Bolyai University - Russia
Moscow State University, International Market Institute (Samara), State Institute for Cinematography (Moscow), and Institute for Cinema Studies (Moscow) - Serbia
University of Belgrade, University of Novi Sad - Slovakia
Comenius University - Slovenia
University of Ljubljana - Ukraine
Donetsk National University, Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University
REES cooperates with the University of Pittsburgh School of Law's Center for International Legal Education in hosting LL.M. (Master of Laws) candidates from countries in the REES area; with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and its network of international affairs institutes in Russia and Central/Eastern Europe; and with the Katz Graduate School of Business in hosting MBA students and visiting faculty from Central/Eastern Europe. Each year REES hosts numerous scholars from the region who are supported by such national programs as IREX, NCEEER, American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS, Fulbright, and Muskie.


