2009 News
October
- University opens Office in Beijing (pic)(pic)
On October 22, the University of Minnesota opened its first international office in Beijing. The grand opening was attended by key University leaders and faculty, University partners from Minnesota and China, University alumni from Beijing and beyond, and other distinguished guests including education officials from China. University Senior Vice President for System Academic Administration Robert Jones, Associate Vice President and Dean of International Programs Meredith McQuaid, China Center Director Yongwei Zhang, and Mr. Zheng—an official from the Beijing Municipal Committee of Education—gave remarks as part of the ceremony.
The office will focus on undergraduate recruitment and alumni relations as well as offer services to University faculty, staff, and departments to support their work in China. Services include: use of meeting space, office support (such as copying, internet access, and cell phone usage), in-city arrangements and airport pickup, and translation. The China Center is overseeing this office's administration. More information about the University's Beijing Office.
July
- Mingda Institute hosts delegation from SCUT
On July 27, 2009, the Mingda Institute for Leadership Training began a three-week “Higher Education Administration Training Program” for a delegation—including Vice President Zhengang Zhang—from South China University of Technology (SCUT). The training program includes lectures on the evolution of U.S. universities, management and leadership, accountability and accreditation, human resources, perfomance measurement, student activies, library resources, research management, sustainability and energy conservation, programming for parents, and admissions policies. SCUT is a well-known public university in southern China and was ranked in the top 25 best universities in Asia by Asiaweek.
- Training group from Beijing graduates
Twenty-four Chinese professors from 19 Beijing universities completed their training at the University of Minnesota. They were here for four months to learn how research is conducted in U.S. universities. This training was made possible through a collaboration between the Beijing Teachers Training Center for Higher Education and the Mingda Institute of Leadership Training. In addition to their training, the group also participated in local cultural events such as “Passage to China,” “Concordia Language Village,” and Minnesota International Center’s “International Classroom Program.”
May
- Thomson Reuters celebrates 30th anniversary of the China Center (pic)
On May 8, Thomson Reuters Legal, a China Center Corporate Partner, sponsored an event to honor the center’s 30th anniversary. The event included a luncheon followed by a round-table discussion. Legal Education: A Global Perspective was a panel discussion moderated by Rick King, Global Head of Technology and Operations for Thomson Reuters Legal. The panel was composed of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul Anderson, University of Minnesota Associate Vice President and Dean of International Programs Meredith McQuaid, Thomson Reuters Vice President of West Academics Chris Parton, and China Center Director Yongwei Zhang.
Approximately 100 people attended the event in person, including Senior Consul of Education at the PRC Consulate in Chicago, Wang Xiaowei. The event was also broadcast worldwide in real-time.
- Lecture by Chinese economist (pic)
The China Center partnered with the Humphrey Institute for a lecture on May 8 presented by Cheng Siwei, vice chairman of the standing committee of the National Congress and dean of the School of Management at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Cheng spoke on the achievements and challenges of China's economic development.
- Zhang travels to China (pic) (pic)
From April 23 to May 5, China Center Director Yongwei Zhang travelled to China on University business. Highlights of the trip include a visit to the Department of Education of Beijing where he met with Commissionar Liu Limin, Deputy Commissioners Guo Guangsheng and Zheng Dengwen, and Director of Foreign Exchange and Affairs, Qiu Xiaoping; and visit to the Fudan University School of Public Health (Shanghai) where he met with Dean Jiang Qingwu.
March
- Chinese professors from Beijing arrive for four-month training
The Mingda Institute for Leadership Training is hosting a delegation of 18 Chinese professors from various Beijing universities from March 10 to July 10. The professors are here conducting research in US universities. After a three-week orientation, they will meet University of Minnesota faculty members to learn about research methodologies and explore academic collaboration opportunitites.
February
- China Center hosts visitors from Renmin University and Henan University of Finance and Economics
Professor Wang Hufeng of Renmin University in Beijing arrived on February 25 to give a talk about health care reform in China to the students in the College of Public Health. China Center Director Yongwei Zhang met with Professor Wang during his short visit to the University.
The President Guo Xinhe of the Henan University of Finance and Economics in Zhengzhou, Henan also visited the University on February 25. He was accompanied by Vice President for International Education Dr. Guo Aimin and International Exchange director Li Yuandong. Zhang met with the three visitors to discuss the possibilities of academic exchanges and research collaborations between the two universities. The visitors will also met with the international programs staff of the University's Carlson School of Management.
- China Center participates in local elementary school cultural night (pic)
On February 24, China Center Director Yongwei Zhang and two student volunteers from the College of Education and Human Development, Yiyun Jie and Di Wu, participated in the China Cultural Night activities at the Meadowbrook Elementary School. Hundreds of students, parents, and teachers gathered attended the event to learn about China. The China Center table included a demonstration of Chinese calligraphy and traditional Chinese costumes.
- Visitors from the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (pic)
China Center Director Yongwei Zhang met with three visitors from the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology on February 21. The Chinese guests expressed a strong desire to work collaboratively and develop programs with the food and nutrition science researchers at the University of Minnesota.
January
- Mingda Institute hosts New Year Celebration for partner faculty
The Mingda Institute for Leadership Training hosted a Chinese New Year Lunch for fourteen Chinese faculty members from different colleges and departments at the University on Friday, January 30. In the past year, many of these professors helped the Chinese visiting scholars training groups in the form of lectures, seminars, advising, and class visits. This connection built by the China Center training program has been beneficial for both Chinese scholars who hope to learn about U.S. pedagogy and research experience and University faculty members who are interested in international collaboration and grant application on research projects.
- Visit from Northeast Normal University High School
The China Center hosted a delegation from Northeast Normal University High School (NENU High). The delegation was headed by the school's principal, Ms. Li Zhen. Over the past two years, the China Center has visited NENU High on undergraduate recruitment trips and several outstanding students have come to the University of Minnesota for their studies as a result.
- Large attendance at eighth annual Lecture (pic) (pic) (pic)
The China Center celebrated the Chinese New Year on January 24 by presenting the eighth annual Bob and Kim Griffin Building U.S.-China Bridges Lecture. This year’s presenter was Rob Gifford, former China correspondent and current London bureau chief for National Public Radio. An estimated 600 people were in attendance for the lecture and the reception following. The event was also covered by the MN Daily.
