ODU Seeks International Collaboration with Minzu University of China
Old Dominion University played host to Yingjian Guo, dean of the School of Foreign Studies at Minzu University of China, located in Beijing, during the week of July 18.
Organized by ODU's College of Arts and Letters and the Program for Research and Evaluation in Public Schools (PREPS) in the Darden College of Education, the visit sought to strengthen the Chinese program at ODU and serve as a catalyst to examine and explore potential collaboration between the two universities.
During his visit, Guo toured the campus and visited with representatives from ODU's academic colleges, Office of Distance Learning and Study Abroad Program, exchanging ideas on how the institutions might work together. He also met with representatives from area public school districts including Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News and York County.
Guo also met with members of the China Center Advisory Board, entrepreneurs and local community leaders, all of whom expressed their readiness to support ODU's endeavor to promote Chinese language and exchange between the two countries.
"We expect Dean Guo's visit to be the first step in a special relationship between ODU and Minzu University and that is a key step towards the establishment of a prestigious national-level China center at Old Dominion University," said Chandra de Silva, dean of the College of Arts and Letters.
According to its Web site, Minzu University of China, formerly known as Central University for Nationalities, specializes in teaching Chinese as a foreign language and is also known for being an ethnically diverse institution. It offers 55 bachelor's degree programs, 64 master's degree programs and 25 doctoral degree programs.
Old Dominion University is Virginia's forward-focused, public doctoral research university, with more than 23,000 students and innovative and engaging teaching in 70 bachelor's, 60 master's and 36 doctoral degree programs. A determined entrepreneurial approach to problem solving drives cutting-edge research and strategic partnerships with government, business, industry, organizations and the arts.