Reported by: LIU Jiao
Translated by: XIANG Cong
Edited by: Patti Broderick
Updated: 2012-3-9
February 27th Vice President REN Nanqi delivered the keynote speech to the National Foreign Student Education Symposium sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Education’s International Cooperation and Exchange Department (ICED) meeting in Harbin. REN spoke on Research and Practice on Foreign Student Education, introducing Harbin Institute of Technology’s (HIT) foreign student teaching methods which are fully supportive of the Outline of the National Plan for Medium and Long-Term Education Reform and Development (2010-2020) and the Study in China Plan.
HIT will reach its long term foreign student education goals by a series of incremental short term objectives that will improve both the total number and quality of international students, and will admit ever-increasing numbers of international students to degree programs. Through 2020, HIT’s primary foreign student education goal will focus on the central task of recruiting more international degree-students by improving the management of foreign students and developing the faculty of the Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages Program.
While recruitment takes center stage, three programs will be implemented promoting excellent international degree-student education and management, vibrant multicultural and international atmosphere, and sustainable international student affairs development. HIT will explore and implement the Outline and the Plan’s central objectives to increase the quantity, enhance the diversification, improve the management, and ensure the quality of international student education.
REN had the opportunity to introduce ICED Director ZHANG Xiuqin and Vice Director CHEN Yinghui, along with their delegation, to HIT’s international exchange and cooperation achievements. REN expressed HIT’s appreciation for the ICED’s support. ZHANG Xiuqin lauded HIT’s rapid foreign affairs development, and encouraged HIT to continue to seize every opportunity to participate in international exchanges and cooperation, promote teaching, advance scientific research and develop faculty and student talent. She expressed her hope that HIT’s foreign affairs initiatives would be ever-improving.
ZHANG Xiuqin introduced opportunities for foreign students to study in China, recent achievements and future challenges of international student affairs, and goals for future initiatives. She encouraged every university to understand the absolute necessity to improve the effectiveness of recruiting greater numbers of only the most highly qualified foreign students, as well as to improve signature courses and programs worthy of serving as a national demonstration project. Minority affirmative action programs and pilot projects should be further promoted. Universities should enhance their unique characteristics.
