[288] MTSU signs pact with North China University of Technology

Initial phase of agreement to focus on actuary science in Jones College of Business

BEIJING — MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee signed an academic exchange agreement with North China University of Technology that will allow the two institutions to exchange students and forge other academic ties.

The agreement came as McPhee wrapped up his most recent visit to China on Tuesday. Earlier in the trip, he was honored by the global organization of Confucius Institutes for MTSU’s work to strengthen educational and cultural ties between China and the U.S.

The pact by McPhee and NCUT President Wang Xiaochun focuses first on actuary sciences in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, but allows for expansion in other academic areas.

“We have a number of programs that are comparable to the programs at your university,” McPhee said. “Like your university, we have a major strategic plan to internationalize the campus.”

McPhee has worked to strengthen MTSU’s international undergraduate and graduate student enrollment, expand its study-abroad and cultural opportunities and develop research collaboration with international partners.

Wang said China’s central government has encouraged public universities like NCUT to seek out international cooperation.

“In addition, our students also want to have study-abroad experiences,” he said.

NCUT, located on the western side of Beijing, is a multidisciplinary university that combines the natural sciences and engineering with liberal arts, economics, management and law.

In 1978, with the approval of the State Council, NCUT began to offer full undergraduate degree programs. In 1985, it was renamed as the North China University of Technology.

Founded in 1946, the university includes eight colleges with an enrollment of more than 10,200 undergraduate students, 1,500 graduate students, 200 international students and 2,400 students studying at the College of Continuing Education.

It features 32 undergraduate degree programs, 19 Primary Discipline Master Degree programs, which focus on academic research with three years study, and 11 Professional Master Programs, which focus on practice and application with two years study.

NCUT is also active internationally through more than 30 cooperative partnerships and exchanges. It has established partnerships with universities in the U.S., Japan, Germany, Great Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere.

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Photo captions:

• China-TrueBlue shirt.jpg: MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee gives Wang Xiaochun, president of North China University of Technology, an “I am True Blue” polo shirt.
• China-NCUT Signing.jpg: Officials look on as MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Wang Xiaochun, president of North China University of Technology, sign an academic cooperation pact between the two institutions.

A video on this story can be found here on YouKu (China’s YouTube)：http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjQ2MjcyMzg4.html