An innovative, new Learning Resource Centre jointly established by University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and Chinese partner Changchun Institute of Technology (CIT) was officially opened recently at CIT in Changchun, Jilin China.
The Chinese-based Centre, which builds on the strong, longstanding links between UWS and CIT, will provide information for cultural and language preparation as well as academic learning resources for prospective students of CIT.
The Centre, which was officially launched at an event at CIT on 29 March 2013, is equipped with 18 PCs to allow access to University of the West of Scotland’s online English language programme and academic modules. A library area holds UWS promotional material as well as academic publications for the joint engineering programme students at CIT. Useful information and brochures on life and culture in Scotland is also available in the Centre.
Students can use the centre for individual and group study, or come along to presentations and seminars by visiting academics from UWS at appropriate points in the year.
The Learning Resource Centre will benefit students in many ways; for their studies and as preparation for life overseas. Use of the Learning Resource Centre will also benefit staff from both intuitions to enhance their cultural understanding and help strengthen links between both institutions for academic teaching and joint research activities.
The opening ceremony of the Centre saw Professor Liqiang Han, President of Changchun Institute of Technology, and Professor Paul Martin, Interim Depute Principal of UWS, being joined by over 200 colleagues and students from CIT and UWS.
Professor Paul Martin said: “We are delighted to have officially opened this new Centre, which will be an important resource not just for students at CIT, but for staff at both institutions as we look to develop our collaborative teaching and research.
“This is a significant development for both institutions and thanks are due to all colleagues who made their contribution to strengthen the partnership between our two universities.”
The launch of the Centre is just the latest partnership development between UWS and CIT.
Professor Paul Martin added: “We enjoy a long-standing partnership agreement with CIT, which sees academics from our School of Engineering providing teaching input into the CIT civil engineering and mechanical engineering degrees, to widen the students’ understanding of the subject and to prepare them for possible future study with UWS in these disciplines.
“The model has approval from the Chinese provincial and national government and around 400 students enrol each year. The first cohort from the programmes is expected to come to study at UWS in September 2013.”
In addition to the new learning resource centre, to strengthen links and to widen student experience, educational and cultural student summer programmes are being established.
A group of CIT students will spend four weeks with UWS from July to August this year on an English for Engineers study programme delivered by the UWS English Language team, preparing them for life and study at UWS and building language skills for their future engineering careers. The group will also undertake sightseeing visits across the west of Scotland, and to Edinburgh to give them a taste of Scottish culture.
For the first time a group of UWS student engineers will travel to China this summer, as part of a mobility projected supported by UWS and the Scottish Government under its Saltire Mobility programme. The two-week visit will see the students spend time in the Changchun headquarters of Chinese automotive manufacturer FAW, which has partnerships with Volkswagen, to gain an international overview of the automotive industry. They will also spend time in the FAW design institute as well as with the Chinese national research institute for car design. Their programme will also include introductory language classes, an insight into Chinese tradition and culture and a series of sightseeing visits to give them a truly global insight into their subject of study.
The Chinese-based Centre, which builds on the strong, longstanding links between UWS and CIT, will provide information for cultural and language preparation as well as academic learning resources for prospective students of CIT.
The Centre, which was officially launched at an event at CIT on 29 March 2013, is equipped with 18 PCs to allow access to University of the West of Scotland’s online English language programme and academic modules. A library area holds UWS promotional material as well as academic publications for the joint engineering programme students at CIT. Useful information and brochures on life and culture in Scotland is also available in the Centre.
Students can use the centre for individual and group study, or come along to presentations and seminars by visiting academics from UWS at appropriate points in the year.
The Learning Resource Centre will benefit students in many ways; for their studies and as preparation for life overseas. Use of the Learning Resource Centre will also benefit staff from both intuitions to enhance their cultural understanding and help strengthen links between both institutions for academic teaching and joint research activities.
The opening ceremony of the Centre saw Professor Liqiang Han, President of Changchun Institute of Technology, and Professor Paul Martin, Interim Depute Principal of UWS, being joined by over 200 colleagues and students from CIT and UWS.
Professor Paul Martin said: “We are delighted to have officially opened this new Centre, which will be an important resource not just for students at CIT, but for staff at both institutions as we look to develop our collaborative teaching and research.
“This is a significant development for both institutions and thanks are due to all colleagues who made their contribution to strengthen the partnership between our two universities.”
The launch of the Centre is just the latest partnership development between UWS and CIT.
Professor Paul Martin added: “We enjoy a long-standing partnership agreement with CIT, which sees academics from our School of Engineering providing teaching input into the CIT civil engineering and mechanical engineering degrees, to widen the students’ understanding of the subject and to prepare them for possible future study with UWS in these disciplines.
“The model has approval from the Chinese provincial and national government and around 400 students enrol each year. The first cohort from the programmes is expected to come to study at UWS in September 2013.”
In addition to the new learning resource centre, to strengthen links and to widen student experience, educational and cultural student summer programmes are being established.
A group of CIT students will spend four weeks with UWS from July to August this year on an English for Engineers study programme delivered by the UWS English Language team, preparing them for life and study at UWS and building language skills for their future engineering careers. The group will also undertake sightseeing visits across the west of Scotland, and to Edinburgh to give them a taste of Scottish culture.
For the first time a group of UWS student engineers will travel to China this summer, as part of a mobility projected supported by UWS and the Scottish Government under its Saltire Mobility programme. The two-week visit will see the students spend time in the Changchun headquarters of Chinese automotive manufacturer FAW, which has partnerships with Volkswagen, to gain an international overview of the automotive industry. They will also spend time in the FAW design institute as well as with the Chinese national research institute for car design. Their programme will also include introductory language classes, an insight into Chinese tradition and culture and a series of sightseeing visits to give them a truly global insight into their subject of study.
