From April 24 to May 9, President Liu Jin, Vice President Sun Jianrong, and Director Ding Jie of the International Cooperation and Exchange Center went on a two-week visit to five universities in the United States and Canada by invitation, including Wayne State University, Ball State University, and Middle Tennessee State University in the United States and St. Lawrence College and Algonquin College in Canada. They had fruitful discussions on enhancing international cooperation and building a platform for broader and deeper academic and cultural exchange and reached a number of cooperation intentions. This visit marked another solid step in the international development of Xi'an Eurasia University.

The First Stop

Wayne State University in the United States: Continous Efforts to Deepen International Education Cooperation between the Two Universities

(Fig. 1) The Delegation Communicating with the Representatives of Wayne State University

From April 24 to 26, President Liu Jin and her delegation visited Wayne State University in Detroit, the United States. The two sides had an in-depth discussion on cooperation opportunities in talent cultivation, education and teaching, teacher development, discipline development, international programs, and other fields. The delegation met with Vice President Ahmad M. Ezzeddine and Provost Mark Kornbluh of Wayne State University and discussed specific forms of curriculum and teaching cooperation with Wayne State University's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts and Mike Ilitch School of Business.

(Fig. 2) President Liu Jin Extending an Invitation to Vice President Ahmad M. Ezzeddine of Wayne State University

The two universities both expressed the intention to work closely with each other in providing the teachers and students of both sides with more opportunities for international learning and exchanges, helping the teachers and students better understand and experience the culture and education systems of different countries, and promoting more win-win results in teaching, scientific research, and cultural exchanges. The two sides both hope to achieve higher-level cooperation and stronger international influence. President Liu Jin also extended an invitation to Vice President Ahmad M. Ezzeddine of Wayne State University, welcoming the representatives of Wayne State University to pay an exchange visit to Xi'an Eurasia University.

The Second Stop

Ball State University in the United States: Promoting International Program Development and Multi-disciplinary Cooperation

From April 27 to 28, President Liu Jin and her delegation visited Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. This visit was to strengthen cooperation and exchanges between the two universities, promote the development of the international programs of the School of Humanities and Education of Xi'an Eurasia University, and expand the channels for students to further their studies abroad.

(Fig. 3) President Liu Jin Signing an MOU with Dr. Geoffrey S. Mearns, President of Ball State University

On the morning of April 27, President Liu Jin had a friendly talk with Dr. Geoffrey S. Mearns, President of Ball State University. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), laying a foundation for future in-depth cooperation.

Later, Vice President Sun Jianrong discussed with relevant officials of Ball State University in depth the cooperation between the two sides in summer teacher training. In the future, the two sides will work together to promote teacher exchanges and improve the quality of education and teaching.

On the afternoon of April 27, the delegation had in-depth discussions with the heads of Ball State University's Teachers College and College of Communication, Information, and Media on the cooperation in undergraduate and graduate programs. The two sides will cooperate in the fields of education, scientific research, and social services to promote the development of the vocational certificate programs of the School of Humanities and Education of Xi'an Eurasia University and provide high-quality overseas internship opportunities for students.

(Fig. 4) Group Photo of Representatives from Both Sides

The Third Stop

Middle Tennessee State University in the United States: Collaboration for a New Chapter of International Education

Last year, Xi'an Eurasia University reached an important milestone in its international development — the undergraduate education program for software engineering organized in cooperation with Middle Tennessee State University was approved. The program admitted the first batch of 114 students in September. At present, the teaching of Sino-American cooperative classes is steadily progressing. From April 30 to May 3, President Liu Jin and her delegation visited Middle Tennessee State University, which was the first offline exchange between the two universities after the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.

(Fig. 5) Welcome Luncheon

At noon on May 1, Middle Tennessee State University hosted the welcome luncheon for the delegation. Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, President of Middle Tennessee State University, attended the luncheon along with other representatives of Middle Tennessee State University, including: Dr. Mark Byrnes, University Provost; Debra Sells, Vice President for Student Affairs; Joe Bales, Vice President for University Advancement; Alan Thomas, Vice President for Business and Finance; Andrew Oppmann, Vice President for Marketing and Communications; Robert Summers, Vice President for International Affairs, Greg Van Patten, Dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences; Medha Sarkar, Head of Computer Science Department; Professor Guanping Zheng, Director of the Center for Asian Studies, etc. At the luncheon, the representatives of Middle Tennessee State University and the delegation of Xi'an Eurasia University exchanged ideas on cooperation plans, shared experiences and thoughts with each other, and deepened mutual understanding.

(Fig. 6) President Liu Jin Extending an Invitation to President Sidney A. McPhee

(Fig. 7) Representatives of the Two Universities Carrying out In-depth Exchanges and Discussions

During the visit, the two universities also exchanged and discussed the teacher dispatching, curriculum setting, and quality evaluation of their cooperative education programs. In the future, the two universities will deepen their cooperation in faculty sharing, promote teacher exchanges and visits, jointly carry out scientific research programs, and enhance research capabilities and the internationalization of faculty. In terms of curriculum alignment, the two sides will give full play to their respective advantages to jointly develop the curriculum of the undergraduate education program for software engineering, ensuring the quality of education aligns with international standards. The two sides will also provide students with abundant intercultural communication opportunities, build an industry-university cooperation platform, and establish overseas internship and employment channels, so as to offer students broader international development prospects and enhance their competitiveness in the global arena.

(Fig. 8) Group Photo of Representatives from Both Sides

Presidents Sidney A. McPhee and President Liu Jin both expressed the intention to jointly bring the education cooperation between the two universities to a new level and contribute to the cultivation of excellent international talent.

The Fourth Stop

St. Lawrence College & Algonquin College: Exploring a New Path for the International Development of Vocational Education

From May 4 to 9, the delegation successively visited St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Canada, and Algonquin College in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, and discussed in depth with the two colleges on the innovative development and international cooperation opportunities of vocational education. The delegation gained detailed insights into the education system and curriculum offerings of Canadian vocational colleges, aiming to advance the internationalization of vocational education at Xi'an Eurasia University.

(Fig. 9) President Liu Jin Signing an MOU with President Glenn Vollebregt of St. Lawrence College to Facilitate Cooperation

At St. Lawrence College, President Liu Jin signed an MOU with President Glenn Vollebregt of St. Lawrence College to facilitate cooperation. President Glenn Vollebregt said that the signing of this MOU marked a new beginning for cooperation between the two sides and expressed his confidence that with efforts on both sides, the collaboration between the two institutions will deepen and progress further.

President Liu Jin complimented St. Lawrence University on its rich experience in vocational education and industry-college services and pointed out that Xi'an Eurasia University had also been committed to international development and cultivating applied talent for society. She expressed her confidence that through joint efforts, the two institutions will embrace more cooperation opportunities and development space.

In the future, the two sides will carry out more extensive cooperative programs and teaching exchanges in education, culture, social services, and other aspects, providing more high-quality educational resources and opportunities to facilitate the learning and growth of students from both sides. The delegation also had in-depth discussions with St. Lawrence College on teacher training and student affairs development.

(Fig. 10) Group Photo of the Delegation of Xi'an Eurasia University and the Representatives of St. Lawrence College

The cooperation between Xi'an Eurasia University and Algonquin College began in 2015. In recent years, the two institutions have carried out interactive exchanges in various forms such as student study tours and teacher visits. At Algonquin College, President Liu Jin and her delegation had in-depth discussions with Director Ernest Mulvey of the International Education Centre of Algonquin College and Professor James Wang, Deputy Director of the International Education Centre of Algonquin College. The delegation complimented Algonquin College on its excellent achievements and development prospects in teaching and social training, introduced the advantages and characteristics of Xi'an Eurasia University, and expressed the willingness to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Algonquin College and jointly promote the development of vocational education on both sides.

(Fig. 11) Group Photo of the Delegation of Xi'an Eurasia University and the Representatives of Algonquin College