University Expands Internationalization Effort into China

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Return to Issue of Feb. 11, 2008 

As part of a new internationalization plan by Kent State President Lester A. Lefton and Provost Robert G. Frank, the university hopes to offer more study abroad programs and expand operations to strategic regions of the world. Currently, the university boasts established academic centers in Florence, Italy, and Geneva, Switzerland, in addition to multiple relationships in Russia, Japan, Turkey and other countries. However this spring, the university is launching a large initiative to China, and in the following year, to India.

China has one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world.

“Our China vision grew out of President Lefton’s and Provost Frank’s personal experiences in China and the roles of their former institutions in that country,” says Vice Provost Steve O. Michael. China is among one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world and has an excess of qualified students needing higher education.

“We have limited resources, so it makes sense to pick specific regions where the return on investment is quick,” says Michael. “Then with our returns, we can leverage university programming to other regions of the world.”

According to Michael, last year 10 million wrote the common entrance examination to Chinese universities, but only 220,000 were accepted. So a huge surplus of qualified people are looking for a higher education. Adds Michael: “There’s no reason Kent State should not be a big player in that.”

Goals of the China initiative include establishing a physical presence in China, signing memoranda of understanding with at least five major Chinese universities, beginning strategic student recruitment from China, offering Kent State programs in China, expanding the university’s study abroad programs to China and Kent State’s Chinese language program, establishing a Confucius Institute at Kent State and a Center for Asian Studies, and becoming a resource center for local companies interested in doing business in China.

Many of the above objectives will begin this year and some already are in progress. This January, Dr. Bei Cai, assistant professor of communication studies at the Stark Campus, was appointed director of the Kent State China Center. Cai, who originally is from China and speaks the language fluently, worked for 10 years at an international studies university in China before moving to the United States, where she also has worked in higher education for 10 years.

Currently in China, Cai is in the process of creating an office in Beijing, Haidan. To date, Kent State’s China Center includes offices for the director, two staff members, for which interviews are taking place, and a conference room. “By Kent State having a physical presence in China, it allows the university to make connections with government agencies, universities, and prospective parents and students,” says Cai.

In addition the center will be an outpost for regional economic development in Northeast Ohio, says Cai, by sharing information about China’s newest economic policies with local businesses.

While in China, Cai also plans to establish memoranda of understanding with top Chinese universities that have similar programs and types of students. Though no agreements have been signed, Cai has begun talking with universities such as Shanghai International Studies University, Beijing Normal University and Xian International Studies University.

“Timing is very good,” says Cai. “China’s educational market is opening up to the world with great models of collaboration taking shape.”

The plan also is that these agreements with Chinese universities will be a pipeline for international students to attend Kent State as well as an opportunity for Kent State students to study abroad. Additionally, Cai has been meeting with a government agency in China that can help provide access to international high schools, which she plans to visit.

In addition to the work being done in China, meetings are taking place to discuss the establishment of a Confucius Institute at Kent State. Funded by the Chinese government, the institute would promote the language and culture of China, and complement the Center for Asian Studies, a scholarly organization that will conduct research in business, economics and politics as well as offer services to local companies interested in Chinese business. Finally, through the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies, the university expects to offer a minor and eventually a major in the Chinese language.

“Society has changed,” says Michael. “Borders are really artificial and knowledge will need to be transnational.”

By Melissa Edler

Return to Issue of Feb. 11, 2008