Can't wait to return - This Week

Universities hand in hand
By Enid Chen & Vivian Zhang
Photos by Yao Fan
2月25日至27日，为期三天的第二次“国际七校联盟”启动工作会议于厦门大学召开。包括厦大在内的来自世界各地的七所大学宣布，他们将于今年4月正式组建名为“国际七校联盟”的大学合作组织。联盟学校将主要就教育、科研、培养学校行政人员三个方面进行合作，开设共同课程并实现学分互认，并有可能颁发联合学位。这种多所高校间的联手合作对于广大学生来说无疑是非常令人振奋的。
(Photo: The Second Steering Committee for Global U7 Consortium at Xiamen University)

Have you ever thought of spending your four years studying in different famous universities throughout the world in order to complete one Bachelor degree? This “mission impossible” will soon turn out to be a reality.

On February 25th to 27th, the Second Steering Committee for Global University 7 (U7 for short) Consortium was held at Xiamen University. Representatives from seven universities throughout the world including Xiamen University made known to the public their plans to set up a Global U7 Consortium.

Secretary-General of the Consortium Professor Young-Tae Chang from Inha University, South Korea, who was the initiator of the Global U7 Consortium, told Common Talk reporters that the university was seeking to widen and deepen the level of cooperation with globally-recognized universities by its fiftieth anniversary in April 2004. Hence, Inha University has spent two years looking for potential partners who wish to be included in such a cooperative arrangement.

Now the U7 Consortium consists of Xiamen University, Inha University from South Korea, Le Havre University from France, University of Rhode Island and the University of Washington from America, RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) University from Australia, and Haifa University from Israel. According to the organizers of the consortium, they welcome other universities joining them. Currently, two renowned universities from Singapore and Japan have expressed their wish to join in the Consortium.

The three-day Second Steering Committee for Global U7 Consortium had agendas to discuss details about the contractual rights and obligations of each member university in full preparation for the formal establishment of the U7 Consortium in the coming April. The discussions turned out to be fruitful, with the establishment of the final agreement and joint declaration.

The Global U7 Consortium will ultimately collaborate on three fields: education, research and building administrative capacity. Joint education is a critical point among the member universities, from the initial level of student exchange through to credit transfers and eventually to the implementation of joint degree programs. It was also recognized that the ultimate goal of joint degree programs would be achieved in the distant future, due to the complexity of issues surrounding the conferment of awards by member universities. It was also mentioned that pilot schemes could be trialed, perhaps with such schools as the recently established APSL (Asia Pacific School of Logistics) at Inha University although the school is young and only just beginning to grow. The promising joint education program is encouraging news for university students.

“We set up this Global U7 Consortium in response to the changing environment and expanding education market. As more and more fields are opening their doors to the markets, education should not lag behind, which is the major reason for the establishment of the Consortium.” Prof. Chang said.

President Zhu Chongshi of Xiamen University emphasized that globalization affects all walks of life, including education. “In the current era there is importance to be placed on surviving the fierce competition that has resulted from globalization, and it is in this regard that the establishment of a Global U7 Consortium is essential and therefore of great importance. Xiamen University, from its foundation in 1921, has always placed importance on exchange and cooperation between institutes of higher education and in establishing links between universities.”

Prof. Weng Junyi, from the College of Management at Xiamen University was also optimistic about the opportunities that the U7 Consortium would bring to the university. “The Consortium will be beneficiary and essential to the development of the university. We used to have bilateral cooperation with Inha University. Nevertheless, the U7 Consortium will enable a multi-lateral cooperation with a number of famouse universities. Currently, Xiamen University intends to set up a new major — Logistics. This time, we can learn from the University of Rhode Island and RMIT University who enjoy great strengths in global logistics.”

Prof. Jess Browning, from the University of Washington, (Director Emeritus, Center for Global Trade, Transportation and Logistics), told the Common Talk reporter that the Global U7 Consortium will bring more opportunities for cooperation in research and education to the member universities.

“I am teaching world trade at home and there are students from 17 different departments who choose to attend classes in our center. In this way students with different academic backgrounds may share their perspectives here. It has something in common with the Global U7 Consortium, of which different universities may share precious academic resources and have exchanges over global adjustment, business and technology.”

“As one saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of parts. I believe in it. Last year, our university jointly had a workshop with Inha University from South Korea, of which academic achievements had been published in a 60-paper journal. I hope we may achieve more with the Global U7 Consortium.”

Vice Provost Ms. Janett Trubatch from the University of Rhode Island, USA, sees the Global U7 Consortium as providing universities with the means to work together in new ways to achieve traditional goals, including that of student exchange, joint education, and joint research. “It’s a good business. On one hand, we can contribute to the Consortium with our strengths in several areas. On the other hand, we can learn from other member universities. It’s a good kind of sharing of infrastructure and other resources. As for the students from various backgrounds, they can receive cross-cultural education, which is good for their personal development.”

In their words

Prof. Zhu Chongshi, President of Xiamen University
“There is importance to be placed on surviving the fierce competition that has resulted from globalization, and it is in this regard that the establishment of a Global U7 Consortium is of great importance.”

Prof. Young-Tae Chang, Secretary-General of the Consortium from Inha University, South Korea
“As more and more fields are opening their doors to the markets, education should not lag behind, which is the major reason for the establishment of the Consortium.”

Prof. Jess Browning, Director Emeritus from the University of Washington
“The whole is greater than the sum of parts. I hope we may achieve more with the Global U7 Consortium.”

Ms. Janett Trubatch, Vice Provost from the University of Rhode Island, U.S.A.
“It’s a good business. It’s a good kind of sharing of infrastructure and other resources.”