The Institute of International Education (IIE) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) led the first major delegation of U.S. higher education institutions to the International Congress of Higher Education in Cuba, which took place from February 15 to February 19, 2016. During the conference, representatives led a special workshop about building U.S. - Cuba academic collaborations and partnerships, and operated a first-of-its-kind "U.S. Higher Education" booth to showcase opportunities for collaborating with American colleges and universities. IIE and AASCU led the delegation of 17 U.S. colleges and universities seeking to increase their partnerships with Cuban institutions and addressing key academic partnership interests and needs. U.S. and Cuban university representatives engaged in networking, signed letters of intent and continued ongoing conversations about partnership opportunities, priorities and mechanics. While both U.S. and Cuban institutions have expressed interest in expanding partnerships, they will not be without their challenges. Representatives from both countries acknowledged that building mutually-beneficial partnerships will require long-term planning, investing, relationship building and cultural competence.