Radford explores international partnership with Chinese university

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Radford University President Brian O.Hemphill (right) exchanges a gift with Linshan Wang, vice president of Shandong Youth University of Political Science (left) as part of a recent meeting to discuss an international education partnership.

To explore partnership and exchange opportunities, Radford University President Brian O. Hemphill welcomed a party of administrative colleagues from the Shandong Youth University of Political Science Nov. 30.

President Hemphill met with Linshan Wang, vice president of Shandong, and four other Shandong representatives to discuss a potential partnership that could include student and faculty exchanges, joint degree programs and other international collaborations.

“We are excited about the potential of this partnership as it relates to our students and faculty,” said President Hemphill. “We are truly honored to have you on campus today for this discussion.”

Shandong Youth University of Political Science is a 12,000-student university in the Shandong province of China that grants bachelors and associates degrees in a variety of disciplines, such as economics, design arts, information technology and political science.

“It could evolve into a fantastic opportunity for our students,” said International Education Center (IEC) Director Paul Currant. “There are some synergies between the universities that could be mutually beneficial.”

 

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During their visit, the representatives of Shandong University toured the Center of the Science with CSAT Dean Orion Rogers.

In addition to its diverse undergraduate offerings, Radford’s 22 graduate programs and three doctoral programs present a potential international destination for Shandong’s students as it does not offer any post-graduate degree options.  The joint discussions also included an expressed mutual interest in exploring an option wherein Shandong students could earn an undergraduate degree from both institutions by beginning their studies at Shandong and spending their final one or two years at Radford University, often termed “2+2” or “3+1” programs.

After meeting with President Hemphill, Chief of Staff Ashley Schumaker, Joseph Scartelli, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs; Irvin Clark, interim vice president for student affairs; Kitty McCarthy, vice president for enrollment management and Jeanne Mekolichick, assistant provost for academic programs, the Shandong party toured the Center for the Sciences, the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences building and Kyle Hall, where they met with the College of Business and Economics faculty.

As part of its efforts to increase international education opportunities and exchanges, on Nov. 3 Radford completed a study abroad agreement with Australia’s Monash University to further globalize the Radford University community.

Through the IEC, Radford University students can study abroad for a semester, academic year or on one of many short-term programs. The university’s expanding list of partners include France’s Blaise Pascal University, Kassel University in Germany, Japan’s Kansai Gaidai University and the University of Glasgow in Scotland. France’s ESDES School of Business and Management and Japan’s Osaka University of Commerce have recently signed exchange agreements with Radford University and the EM Lyon School of Business, a highly ranked European university, will soon join Radford University as an exchange partner.




Feb 8, 2017
Don Bowman
(540) 831-5182
dbowman@radford.edu