A delegation of 27 representatives from leading Chinese universities visited Rutgers University in late September to meet and discuss ways to collaborate in the areas of student and faculty exchange and international research. Organized by the China Education International Exchange Association (CEAIE), a Chinese organization focusing on facilitating conversation between China and the world in the field of education, the "Double First-Class" universities represented included Peking University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, Fudan University, Tongji University, Southeast University, Xiamen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Southern University of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Lanzhou University, and South China University of Technology. The delegation attended a two-day meeting at the Institute for International Education (IIE) in New York, and then visited Rutgers and Columbia University during their short visit to the U.S. See some photos from the event.
Eric Garfunkel, Vice President for Global Affairs, and Michael Zwick, Senior Vice President for Research, welcomed the group and gave presentations about Rutgers’ global engagement and research prowess at the event. Ms. Fu Bo, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Education International Exchange Association, also delivered remarks, expressing gratitude for Rutgers University's warm reception and support for deepening and expanding cooperation between the universities present.
The event was attended by more than 40 representatives from Rutgers University, including deans and academic program leaders from the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, School of Business, School of Education, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, as well as representatives from the Rutgers Research and Rutgers Global. They engaged in extensive discussions with members of the Chinese university delegation on topics such as dual-degree and articulation programs, faculty development, student exchanges, and research collaboration.
Rutgers University has enjoyed many mutually beneficial collaborative relationships with partners in China over the years. Faculty research collaborations between Rutgers and Chinese universities have existed for five decades, and student enrollment at Rutgers for more than four decades. Rutgers’ first notable formal partnership with China was in 1979 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Jilin University. Many partnerships, often with MOUs, followed, including with Zhejiang University, Beijing University, South China University of Technology, Tsinghua University, Renmin University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Fudan University, Tongji University, Beijing Normal University, Southern University of Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Lanzhou University, quite a few branches of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and many others.
In 2010, Rutgers established the Rutgers University Beijing Center, and in 2012 it established the Rutgers University China Office.
During the Covid pandemic, Rutgers University launched the ROSE (Rutgers Overseas Semester Experience) program to ensure that first-year undergraduate Rutgers students from China were able to matriculate at Rutgers in their home country. The University collaborated closely with Peking University, East China Normal University, and South China University of Technology to allow our first-year international students to study a Rutgers curriculum on their campuses. After the pandemic, substantive progress has been made on expanding dual-degree programs such as 3+2 and 3+1+1 programs, as well as faculty exchanges, with partners in China.
Professor Eric Garfunkel remarked: “Since 2008, Rutgers University has educated over 18,000 international students from China. Many have gone on to excel in various fields in industry or the public sector in the U.S. or China. Quite a few continue to promote cooperation between China and the United States and help to facilitate international cultural exchange, much needed during these times of global political tension.” He added: “We were honored that this group of higher education leaders from some of the top universities in China visited us here at Rutgers. We are committed to continuing our work together to solve some of the global grand challenges we face today.”
Learn more about our China Office.