SIUE Formalizes Changshu Institute of Technology Partnership
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has formalized a Sino-American Dual Degree Program with Changshu Institute of Technology (CIT) in Changshu, China. An SIUE delegation visited CIT in early November to meet and welcome 25 CIT students to the SIUE School of Engineering’s Mechatronics and Robotics program in January 2020.
The SIUE delegation included Mary Weishaar, executive director of international affairs; Scott Belobrajdic, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management; Keqin Gu, distinguished research professor in engineering; and Jim Monahan, director of international and graduate admissions. The group attended the International Forum for Jiangsu Association of Sino-American Universities. They met with representatives from the Chinese Ministry of Education, the Jiangsu Province Education Department and the Jiangsu Association of Sino-American Universities, which involves 12 institutions.
“The trip was particularly helpful, because we were able to see presentations by U.S. and Chinese administrators about how successful partnerships are formed and managed,” Weishaar said. “We were able to visit CIT’s impressive, newly renovated classrooms that are dedicated to the dual degree programs. We also were able to meet the 25 CIT students, who anticipate transferring to SIUE in 2020, and their parents.”
The students will spend 1.5 years at CIT, followed by 2 years in SIUE’s School of Engineering and conclude their degree requirements with the final semester at CIT. Students meeting the degree requirements of both institutions will earn a degree from both CIT and SIUE. The program curriculum is carefully mapped to successfully transfer coursework and meet each institution’s graduation requirements.
The agreement is a result of SIUE’s membership in the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The AASCU has teamed with the China Center for International Educational Exchange (CCIEE) to offer the Sino-American 1+2+1 Dual Degree Program for the past 16 years. The program provides Chinese undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to study at an AASCU institution. The Chinese Ministry of Education recognizes it as a Program of Excellence. Approximately 100 Chinese institutions currently participate by annually sending 300 students to 30 U.S. institutions.
Other institutions attending the forum included the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, University of Minnesota-Duluth and Troy University in Alabama.
Photo: New students from CIT who will study mechatronics and robotics at the SIUE School of Engineering join (L-R) Prof. Huigang Xu, CIT dean of Electrical Engineering and Automation, SIUE Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Scott Belobrajdic, SIUE Executive Director of International Affairs Mary Weishaar, SIUE Distinguished Research Professor Keqin Gu, School of Engineering, and SIUE Director of International and Graduate Admissions Jim Monahan.
