UWS strengthens ties to China

From left: Dr Yi-chen Lan (Associate PVC International and Engagement), Dr Ruying Qi (Leader, China Liaison Unit (Language and Culture), School of Humanities and Languages), Prof Peter Hutchings (Dean, School of Humanities and Languages), Prof Lin Rupeng (Vice President, Jinan University), Prof Gary Smith (PVC, UWS International), Prof Yu Huifen (Director, International Affairs Office of Jinan University), Mr Chester Bendall, Manager International Relationships, UWS International, Dr Meng Xianjun (Director, Admission Office of Graduate School), Prof Guo Xi (Dean, College of Chinese Language and Culture, Jinan University).

A senior delegation from one of the most prestigious universities in China has officially toured the University of Western Sydney to strengthen research ties, initiate joint teaching programmes and promote staff and student exchanges between the two countries.

Jinan University in Guangzhou is one of the top 40 Universities out of 3000 universities in China, and discussions with the UWS School of Communication Arts began when Professor Peter Hutchings and Dr Ruying Qi were invited to the College of Chinese Language and Culture at Jinan University last year. 

The ties between the two universities will now be formalised after representatives from the Jinan University in Guangzhou were given a tour of the renowned Chinese programmes available within the UWS School of Humanities and Communication Arts at the UWS Bankstown campus, and the UWS International Office at the UWS Parramatta campus.

The delegation was headed by Professor Lin Rupeng, Vice President of Jinan University, and included Professor Guo Xi, Dean of the College of Chinese Language and Culture, Professor Yu Huifen, Director of the International Affairs Office, and Dr Meng Xianjun, Director of the Admission Office of the Graduate School. 

The new collaboration will open the doors for entry for Jinan students to study the UWS Interpreting and Translation programs, and have a shared focus on research and teaching in bilingualism and Chinese language and culture, including joint Higher Degree Research supervision.

The Dean of the UWS School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Professor Peter Hutchings, says this strategic partnership will engage UWS teachers and students in the challenges and opportunities of research and teaching from the world’s fastest growing economy.

“The synergies between the two universities are significant, and our discussions indicated a huge potential for a broad collaboration across the University of Western Sydney in fields such as business and medicine as well as in humanities and communications,” says Professor Hutchings.

“This is one of the School of Humanities and Communication Arts’ four key relationships  with Chinese educational institutions, and demonstrates our growing engagement with this very important region.”

Dr Ruying Qi, Leader of the UWS China Liaison Unit (Language and Culture), says it was love at first sight when the two universities met last year, and the new collaboration represents the next stage of the relationship.

“This collaboration offers an opportunity to develop UWS as an important teaching and research hub in Chinese language and in China studies more broadly, particularly in the areas of multilingual early childhood language acquisition and its application to language teaching,” she says.

Ends

29 June 2012