University of Mobile establishes partnership with school in China

University of Mobile establishes partnership with school in China

The University of Mobile (UM) is developing a partnership with China’s Linyi Normal University that will bring Chinese students to the UM campus, President Mark Foley said.

The partnership, titled UM Connect, includes opportunities for Chinese students to study three years at Linyi and one year at the UM campus and earn undergraduate dual degrees in the areas of business administration, accounting, communication, English and literature, computer information sciences or history. A master of business administration (MBA) will be available with Chinese students completing one-third of their courses online and two-thirds in residence at UM.

Foley said there will be opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, including UM professors teaching courses at Linyi. He said visiting scholars from China may teach courses on Chinese language and culture on the UM campus and will work with UM professors to develop courses Chinese students will take at Linyi as part of the UM Connect program.

“With the 3+1 undergraduate program, it will be three years before we see a significant enrollment of undergraduate students from China on our campus. With the MBA program, we could have graduate students enrolled in the distance learning component as soon as this fall,” Foley said. “We expect Linyi students to enroll this fall in China in the undergraduate UM Connect tracks.”

Part of the university’s degree requirements include a course on Christian worldview and another on the mission and message of Jesus or on Christian theology. Foley said the academic courses may be refined to provide additional information for Chinese students who may not have any experience with or understanding of Christianity.Foley noted that globalization and Mobile’s location as a port city may provide unique career opportunities for both Chinese and American MBA students at UM.

Foley said the process of developing the Chinese market for the university began with his trip to Linyi with a consultant in December 2008. Linyi is a state-run university with approximately 37,000 full-time students and 1,575 faculty located in Linyi City, Shandong province, China.

For more information on Linyi Normal University, visit http://en.lytu.edu.cn. For more information on the UM Connect program, visit www.umobile.edu/umconnect. (UM)