CPUT recently hosted a delegation of academics from the Changzhou Institute of Technology (CIT) to witness the signing of a historic agreement of collaboration.
Our institution became the first African university to sign a collaboration and exchange agreement with CIT which is situated in the Chinese city of Changzhou, in the south of the Jiangsu Province.
In her presentation to CPUT, Prof Zhu Juanfen, CIT Director: International Relationships Exchange and Cooperation, explained that their city is situated midway between Shanghai and provincial capital Nanjing, a location visiting lecturers take full advantage of when they visit the Chinese university.
The agreement says the two institutions will seek to promote programmes in the following areas:
- Exchange of information and materials that are of mutual interest;
- Student and staff exchanges;
- Student internships;
- Short term programmes for undergraduate and graduate students; and
- Other forms of cooperation.
Juanfen said CIT concentrates on the undergraduate experience with 13 schools offering courses, amongst others, across engineering, education, management and liberal arts programmes. With a faculty of more than 1 100 and enrolment of just more than 15 000 full time students the Chinese university offers 54 undergraduate programmes attracting students from across China.
CIT also boasts an array of exchange programmes with various universities in the US, UK, Canada, Denmark and Australia. Chinese students who attain a certain proficiency in English travel abroad for a year to study at various universities to eventually graduate with a dual degree.
The Chinese university also regularly hosts lecturers from US partner universities to teach in Changzhou.
She said the cultural experience programmes, including summer camps and overseas study, have proven to be popular with students.
“CIT has cultivated international students from 45 countries including the US, the UK and Europe. Right now we have 355 international students on campus. The students really enrich the campus culture,” said Juanfen.
In her presentation to the visitors Prof René Pellissier, CPUT Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, explained our vision to be at the heart of technology education and innovation in Africa and she invited the Chinese academics to discuss ways to cooperate with their South African counterparts.
“Teaching and learning smartness should speak to our research smartness and what holds this idea together is our partnerships. This is of particular relevance in our focu on technological innovations and the components of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Pellissier.
Inviting the CIT President, Li Wenghu, to sign the agreement, the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Cape Town, Mr KANG Yong, pointed out that CPUT and CIT share a similar focus on technology and both institutions work towards providing skilled engineers and technicians to the labour market: “So there is great potential for collaboration and I am very happy that we are signing this memorandum of understanding between the two universities.”
Written by Theresa Smith
# memorandum of understanding
