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NCSU Announces Partnerships With Chinese Universities

POSTED: 8:13 am EDT October 11, 2006
UPDATED: 8:13 am EDT October 11, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina State University plans to partner with universities in China to improve its international studies programs and create a "globally savvy work force," the school announced Wednesday.

Provost Larry Nielsen and other N.C. State officials will sign agreements with six Chinese universities, including three of the country's top-ranked schools, during a trip to China from Oct. 22 to Nov. 1.

"These agreements are all about economic development and educating students in the 21st century, which means helping students develop their international credibility in a global economy," Chancellor James Oblinger said in a prepared statement.

The Chinese schools included in the agreement are Peking University, Tsinghua University and Zhejiang University _ the three highest-ranked schools in China _ along with China Agricultural University, Beijing Forestry University and Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In addition to study programs, the agreements will cover research, summer programs and student exchanges.

The exchange program will begin next summer when about 50 N.C. State students travel to Zhejiang University, and engineering students from Peking University come to Raleigh.

Nielsen said the program will help students find jobs in an increasingly global work environment and bring new perspectives to the university.

"Access to a job-ready, globally savvy work force is extremely important to employers, especially in and around Research Triangle Park," Nielsen said.