International ties with China

By Vanessa Perkins

News Editor

In Quin Province, on the shores of the Huangshui River in western China, lies a university which will now know the UVU name for a long time.

Qinghai Normal University President Dong Jiaping and President Mathew Holland took part in a signing ceremony on July 13 at the State Capitol which made a partnership between the two universities official.

With this new partnership, students and faculty from both schools can participate in exchange programs, as well as collaborate on various projects.

“The creation, in essence, of a sister university relationship with Qinghai Normal University will bring greater opportunities for UVU students, faculty and our regional service area to engage with China,” Holland said. “This new relationship is fundamentally important to UVU in becoming a more globally engaged institution of higher learning.”

The agreement makes President Holland’s goal for UVU possible. His goal includes creating global learning opportunities for UVU, specifically with China.

“The formation of a close academic relationship with Qinghai Normal University and other Chinese institutions will enable UVU students to capitalize on global engagement opportunities that could otherwise not be undertaken,” said Brian Birch, UVU’s associate vice president for Academic Affairs. “These experiences will open many doors and lead to opportunities long after our students have moved on from UVU.”

Involved in the signing ceremony was Gov. Gary Herbert who signed a state agreement similar to UVU’s new ties to Qinghai Normal University.

In September, delegates from Qinghai are set to return to Utah for another visit. This collaborative effort to work together will lead to more partnerships in the future.

VISUALS

UVU vs. Qinghai

• UVU has almost 33,000 students.
• Qinghai has 2 colleges, 14 departments, 3 branches and a research institute.
• UVU has seven colleges and schools.
• Qinghai was founded in 1956