An agreement signed on Monday between the University of Otago
and a leading Chinese University is likely to benefit
students and staff from both countries.
The university signed the memorandum of understanding and a
student exchange agreement with Tsinghua University, ranked
one of the top two universities in China.
As part of the agreements, students and staff would
collaborate in research, and fee-waived exchanges would be
offered to students to spend a semester in Beijing, pro
vice-chancellor (international) Sarah Todd said.
Otago had more than 100 memorandums of understanding and 90
student exchange programmes with tertiary providers which
helped attract students to the university and enhanced links
with other countries.
Most agreements were with institutions in North America and
Europe, but there was increasing demand for closer
relationships with universities in Asia, she said.
Exchanges would not be limited to Mandarin speaking students,
as Tsinghua offered many programmes in English, particularly
in business.
An Otago delegation to China in 2007, led by vice-chancellor
Prof Sir David Skegg, helped develop the relationship and he
was "delighted" with the collaboration.
"Tsinghua University is an outstanding institution which
attracts brilliant students and researchers from all over
China and around the world," he said.
Tsinghua University
- Established 1911.
- Has 14 schools and 56 departments with faculties in
science, engineering, humanities, law, medicine, history,
philosophy, economics, management, education and art.
- More than 25,900 students, including 13,100 undergraduates
and 12,800 graduate students.
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