On January 14th, China Education Daily covered the achievements of WHU on its road to an international university with a whole page. The report introduces WHU’s effort in international academic exchange, joint cultivation of students, the establishment of Duke Kunshan University, promoting the Sino-French cooperation and the construction of the Confucius Institute, etc.
President Li Xiaohong’s Idea about Internationalization and a World-class University
On December 3th and 4th, 2014, the first summit meeting of universities in BRICS and new emerging economies were held in Moscow. The meeting was hosted by the UK Times Higher Education, and undertaken by the “5-100” Russian Project. Li Xiaohong, the only Chinese University President was invited to give a speech in English, talking about building a world-class university, introducing the achievements of the Chinese higher education and the practice of WHU. He was determined to build WHU into a world-class university. “I have a dream that WHU can be a world-class university in the future.” said Li Xiaohong. He added that the world-class university must be an internationalized one, and so as to achieve this goal, the following three aspects are very important: communication in the same language, awareness of the cultural difference and gaining support from the government.
“WHU Voice” Raised on the World Stage
WHU ranks among the top 400 world universities according to the QS, US News and Times Higher Education and 105th by "Natural Index " worldwide. WHU is now closer to its dream of a world-class university.
International Academic Exchange
In 2012, WHU won the “global leadership award” in geospatial information science; Academician Li Deren was awarded the “honorary member” by the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, one of the organization’s highest honors and awarded only to the world's Top10 influential scientists.
WHU has participated in numerous international cooperation projects, such as “Sirindhorn International Center for Geoinformatics” in cooperation with Thailand; many scholars from WHU attend international conferences and join in international academic organizations. WHU held an “academic week” abroad, cooperating with famous universities. WHU also recruit excellent talents and hold international meetings. Besides, WHU pays great attention to each faculty’s international background and two-thirds of the deans have had academic experience overseas.
Students Cultivation
WHU has carried out joint training programs with universities in the United States, France, Germany, Britain, etc. Every year, WHU sends students to more than 60 world famous universities, and participates in more than 20 abroad training programs sponsored by the Chinese Scholarship Council. Nearly half of the students in Pilot Classes for Mathematical Economics and Mathematical Finance have been admitted to world famous universities. WHU has also fostered a batch of overseas students. Now, there are more than 2500 students from over 110 countries studying at WHU. The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan is one of the outstanding alumni, who majored in International Law and graduated in 1992. He shows his strong feelings for WHU, and has visited WHU three times since graduation.
International Education
WHU has stepped on a new level in international education with the establishment of Duke Kunshan University.
In October 2012, the President of the World Health Foundation visited WHU and signed the third cooperation agreement with WHU for the next five years. In fact, both parties have founded HOPE Nursing School in 2002. The dean, Martha, comes from the United States, leading the school in creating a new manner of nursing in China.
WHU has built an international cooperation platform in the field with outstanding advantages. It has developed a partnership with Chicago University, Duke University, National University of Singapore, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Helsinki University, Leeds University, Paris Diderot University, and University of Lorraine. The School of Information Management has joined the I-school, which is the first in developing countries, and the second in Asia to join this consortium.
High-level international cooperation is becoming the drive for education modernization and a breakthrough for building the world-class university
WHU and DUKE: a Substantial Cooperation between China and the United States
Sharing the common dream of building a world-class university, WHU and Duke University co-establish the Duke Kunshan University.
Absorb Each Other's Strengths; Compatibility and Innovation
On August 20th, Duke Kunshan University held its opening ceremony. Chancellor Liu Jingnan, Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Brown Bullock as well as teachers and local and international students were present at the ceremony.
Chancellor Liu Jingnan showed that Duke Kunshan University, with its brand new fashion of teaching and research, is established through the joint efforts of Duke University and WHU. It brings in the advanced educational theories, management modes, teaching methods and curriculum systems of Duke University, and aims to become an elite, research intensive platform, a comprehensive and international university.
Mary Brown Bullock said: "We expect to make a new example for global higher education in the future."
The Blend of East and West, a New Way of Education
We showcase here the interview given by President Li Xiaohong, WHU and President Broadhead, Duke University:
Topic one: How and why WHU and DUKE choose each other as partner in creating a world-class university, the Duke Kunshan University in China?
President Broadhead: Wuhan is a top 10 university, the same as Duke is. Well, we did not know then and could only learn from experience. What makes Wuhan a perfect partner is that they entered into the spirit of adventure. They believed it, they gave their time, and became truly good partners.
President Li Xiaohong: We both hold a common vision. WHU also holds the idea to push forward the internationalization, which means education for the world. These two universities share the same educational notion. The second is the setting of our disciplines. We have many similar disciplines. Their university is a comprehensive university. Our university is also a comprehensive university. Their humanities and social sciences are very strong. So are we. The third is that we share the same vision, which may be the key reason. Duke had visited many universities in China, but eventually chose WHU as the partner.
Topic two: Prospect of the future for Duke Kunshan University.
President Broadhead: What we want to create here is a place that will have at least three distinctions. It will be a place with a strong model of undergraduate education, residential people living together, faculty and students living and learning together all day long. That will take place in a research environment where the most important questions of the modern world, the most important global questions can be researched, questions of health, questions of environment, questions of the sciences, things we are starting together. And the third, it will be a place that will be conceived from day one as a global university located in China, but created by international partners.
President Li Xiaohong: we fully support Duke’s concept and vision in running DKU, makes it a world-class university.
Topic three: Differences that Duke Kunshan University will bring about tothe global higher education as a result of joint efforts.
President Broadhead: We think that we will contribute to the strength of higher education in China, also in the United States. And we think that this is a chance to start from scratch and so we plan to create a model of education that is designed to encourage traits like curiosity, versatility, creativity and adaptability, problem-solving.
President Li Xiaohong: Education blended with western way of teaching and eastern way of culture, will cultivate students with new thoughts and thinking models. The cooperation as such may in the future exert influence on the global higher education.
The Friendship between China and France
The cooperation between WHU and France dates back to 1896, and WHU is one of the universities with the longest history of cooperation with France since the Reform and the Opening-up.
On December 1st, 2014, Wu Hongmiao, Professor at WHU’s School of Foreign Languages and Literature, was polled out among the 50 significant people in the process of establishing bilateral Sino-French diplomatic relations. In 2012, Professor Sun Hong was awarded the French Education Medal, the “Palm Tree Leaf”.
More than 30 scientific research projects have been established under the cooperation of China and France, such as the Sino-French borderless laboratory, the Emergency Center at Zhongnan Hospital, etc.
In 1999, WHU set up Alliance Francaise, in cooperation with France. More than 4000 students take part in the activities held by the Alliance Francaise every year. In 2006, the first Confucius Institutes were established in Paris.
There have been fifteen years since the Sino-French cooperation in medical education began. Nearly 300 excellent students have graduated. And nearly 100 students from famous French universities have come to WHU for practical training.
In addition, there are nearly 20 Sino-French joint training classes at WHU which have cultivated a large number of students, who can understand and speak three languages, together with specialized knowledge.
Both former President Jacques René Chirac and former French Premier Jean-Marc Ayrault visited WHU and spoke highly of the cooperation between WHU and France.
The Confucius Institutes Show the glamour of China
WHU has founded four Confucius Institute respectively in France, the United States, Germany and Britain. Courses of Chinese language, calligraphy, folk music are organized to help the local people gain a better understanding of Chinese culture and language.
At the annual Confucius Institute Conference in 2013, WHU was awarded as the Excellent Chinese Partner University. The Confucius Institute at the University of Pittsburgh has won the title of "Excellent Confucius Institute" three times, and the director Michelle (Michele Heryford) won the title of "Excellent Director" twice; The Confucius Institute of Paris, at Diderot University has been selected as the Excellent Confucius Institute twice.
The volunteers sent by WHU received high praise from their foreign students and teachers in the Confucius Institutes. WHU students organized a variety of cultural activities such as The Chinese Language Festival which has become an influential cultural activity in Paris Diderot University.
(Source:http://paper.jyb.cn/zgjyb/html/2015-01/14/content_429631.htm?div=-1)
(Rewritten by Shuangshuang Shi, edited by Xuemeng Cheng, Sijia Hu & Diana)
