Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

FACING changes brought on by the pandemic, Shenzhen University (SZU) will continue to boost its global influence via a number of measures, according to an updated work plan.

The work plan on international development, made during this winter vacation, suggested that SZU should further enhance international exchanges and cooperation on scientific research, talent cultivation, subject construction and cultural events.

As of the end of last year, SZU had formed a relationship with 307 universities in foreign countries and regions and conducted many exchange programs for students and teachers.

Though the pandemic has made visits to universities in foreign countries and regions impossible, SZU used other possibilities to expand its friend circle.

The university utilized online platforms to offer teaching staff English lessons designed by the University of Adelaide. The lessons are related to teaching methods and learning about different cultures.

A cooperative master’s degree program jointly launched by SZU and Audencia Business School was approved by the national education authority in March last year. This is said to be SZU’s first Sino-foreign joint program.

At present, the cooperation between SZU and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore is also ongoing, according to SZU.

Meanwhile, a French alliance will be inaugurated at the SZU campus in the near future to promote spreading French culture and collaboration with educational institutes in France.

SZU is also working closely with Cardiff University and University of Exeter in the United Kingdom to jointly cultivate students majoring in subjects such as English, mathematics, economics, media, and computers and software.

Schemes on scholarship and management of foreign teachers were designed by SZU to encourage more students and teachers to join in international exchange programs and to provide convenience for foreign teachers to work and live in SZU.

During the pandemic, SZU launched programs with foreign schools to allow students who cannot go back to their alma mater to study at SZU.

A total of 91 Chinese freshman students who are enrolled in the Parsons School of Design of The New School in New York and 26 senior undergraduate students of the design school studied in SZU under a Global Offsite Semester program.

At the same time, a total of 10 exchange projects designed for teachers and students in SZU and those from Hong Kong and Macao have been approved.

SZU unveiled a work plan and opinion in 2016 and 2019 respectively to list internationalization as one of the top-level strategies for school development.