ARCHIVE FOR THE CHINA

The University of Massachusetts has signed a history-making agreement with China’s Continuing Education Association (CCEA) and CerEdu Corporation to provide online degrees and face-to-face programs to as many as 5,000 students a year in China for five years.

If the agreement is approved by China’s Ministry of Education, UMass would be the first foreign university permitted to offer distance learning and online degree programs in China.  After five years, the success of this joint venture may permit additional top universities to be welcomed into China.

Also, the success of UMassOnline and its partners may change the face of international student exchange. Foreign students often travel outside of their countries to attend the best colleges and universities in order to obtain a world-class education. But if esteemed universities across the globe set up shop in those countries, there would be less need for foreign students to leave home.

Both CCEA and CerEdu Corporation are affiliated with prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing; and UMass had forged an academic and research partnership with Tsinghua University in 2006. This relationship between UMass and China has been further strengthened by the desire of both to expand the horizons of at least a small percentage of the 1.3 billion Chinese citizens.

Perhaps it is notable that the 2008 Summer Olympics are being held in Beijing, just as the Ministry of Education is comtemplating its decision regarding this matter.

And of course, hopefully the bridge of goodwill and friendship modeled by UMass and its Chinese partners will prevail and generate priceless positive fallout for years to come.

China, distance learning, e-learning, online degree program, online degrees, UMassOnline, Beijing, Tsinghua University, Summer Olympics 2008

Popularity: 6% [?]

Share This