Zhongyuan University of Technology (ZUT) welcomed two Forth Valley College staff members recently, as part of a guest lecturing invitation, marking the first step in the new relationship with the top Chinese institution.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ZUT was signed in February this year, signalling the start of a new era in the global ambitions of the College, and Jamie Allan, FVC’s Global Partnership Manager, and Dr Grishma Banakar, Curriculum Manager in the Department of STEM and Construction, were invited to travel to China’s Henan Province from Tuesday 3 – Friday 7 June, to enhance and develop the new partnership. Dr Banakar provided two lectures to first and second year students: 'The Mechatronics Project' and 'Control through the lens of process control'.
Tanq Qilin (Lin), Dean of the School of International Education, a senior representative of the University based in China’s Henan Province, who visited the Falkirk and Stirling Campuses on Tuesday 18 February to sign the MoU, personally facilitated FVC’s visit during the week.
As part of a packed itinerary, Jamie and Grishma visited a range of China’s top vocational and technical skills education institutions located across the large province including: Henan Polytechnic, Xinxiang Vocational and Technical College, Zhengzhou Railway Vocational and Technical College, and the Zhengzhou Electrical Power College.
At each institution, FVC was welcomed by not only the International Directors, but also by the Presidents and Vice Presidents of the colleges for roundtable discussions, and were provided with extensive personal tours of the facilities.
Grishma and Jamie are pictured here (main photo - third and fourth from the right), being welcomed to the Xinxiang Vocational and Technical College.
Each institution offers a range of ‘majors’ outside of core areas of specialism and work closely with industry to ensure the best learning environments for the students to progress into employment – elements of operation which align perfectly with FVC.
Indeed, at Xinxiang Vocational and Technical College, the synergy and relationship with FVC was identified so well in the morning meetings that an MOU was arranged to be signed that afternoon at a ceremony with the college President. Since returning to Scotland, it has been communicated that Xinxiang wish to invite around 15 students from FVC to the college for a two-week study trip in the near future.
Aside from the institutional visits, Jamie and Grishma were provided the opportunity to visit the world-famous Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of both Zen Buddhism and Kung Fu, marking an enriching end to a trip full of discovery and relationship building in a key educational region of China.
Jamie, said: “ZUT have been an incredibly generous and effective partner following the MOU between our institutions. They were the warmest of hosts and have opened many doors for further collaboration with other leading colleges in Henan province; not only institutions which we can we learn a lot from, but also ones which will provide opportunities for our staff and students as we develop stronger relationships. Keep your eyes peeled for more to come following the visit!”
Grishma, who delivered two guest Lectures to the students in: 'The Mechatronics Project' and 'Control through the lens of process control', which were very well received, said: “Delivering lectures with a translator was a unique experience."
To find out more about ZUT visit http://english.zut.edu.cn/
