Organizers, Host, and Committee

ACEFOrganizer
American-China Education Foundation

The American-China Education Foundation (ACEF) is a nonprofit origination whose headquarters is located in Los Angeles. The foundation supports international exchange and cooperation in education, education theory and market research, curriculum development, education reform and dialog. In recent years, ACEF has done numerous theoretical researches on the internationalization of Chinese curriculum reform, which has led to breakthrough progress on the practice. The ACEF makes efforts to:

  • Facilitate education exchange and cooperation between China and the US
  • Facilitate the internationalization of Chinese education agents and international collaboration between the two countries

MHost
University of Minnesota

Founded in 1851, the University of Minnesota has a long tradition of education, public service, and research. The faculty and alumni of the University have included some of the most renowned teachers, researchers, and public figures in the world including 11 faculty members and 7 alumni who have won a Nobel Prize, a former chief justice of the United States, two former vice presidents, and several heads of Fortune 500 companies. The current goal of the University of Minnesota is to become a top three public research university in the world.

The University of Minnesota highly values international exchange. It provides the nation’s largest study abroad program offering more than 300 opportunities in 67 countries. Its ties with China are also well known. The University is home to more than 1,300 Chinese students and scholars.

 

The Committee

Meredith McquaidMeredith McQuaid, Chair
Meredith McQuaid is associate vice president and dean of International Programs for the University of Minnesota, where she promotes the global dimensions of teaching, research, and engagement across all colleges and campuses of the University. Prior to her role as dean, McQuaid served as associate dean for international programs in the University of Minnesota Law School. She holds an adjunct faculty position and teaches Introduction to American Law and Legal Research and Writing for Foreign Lawyers. She created and supervised the Judicial Observation Program for Foreign Lawyers, unique in U.S. law schools. Before entering academia, she practiced immigration and civil litigation law in Minneapolis. Active in the American Association of Law Schools, McQuaid is immediate past-Chair of the Section for Graduate Programs for Foreign Lawyers. She has also served on several selection committees for prestigious international fellowships, including the USIA Edmund Muskie Scholars Program.


Jia LiJia Li, Deputy Chair
Jia Li is the vice president of the American-China Education Foundation and cofounder of the CHEER Foundation. Through these initiatives, Mr. Jia has been committed to international education exchange and collaboration for 10 years. He is also the initiator of “Chinese-English international courses” and “international collaboration on curriculum reform between China and the US.” He is an expert on research and practice for internationalization of Chinese curriculum reform.

 

 

Yongwei ZhangDr. Yongwei Zhang, Deputy
Dr. Zhang has been the director of the University of Minnesota China Center since July 2007. Prior to that, he held several positions at Missouri State University (MSU) including director of international programs and affairs, assistant vice president of research and economic development, director of university programs in Asia, as well as professor of geography in the Department of Geography, Geology, and planning. He was also the chairman of the Joint Management Committee at the MSU-LNU College of International Business—MSU’s branch campus built in cooperation with Liaoning Normal University in Dalian, China.