Association of Chinese Graduate Schools(ACGS）organized a delegation to the United States for a 21-day study visit, returned home successfully on the 21st.

　　The delegation was attended by the comrades in charge of graduate training of 17 universities (Vice President). The delegation, led by the leader (Professor Chen Gang, Vice Dean of Graduate School of Jilin University), left Beijing on May 28 and returned home successfully on June 20. They visited Harvard University, Massachusetts State University, University of Washington, University of Hawaii, etc. According to the plan, they listened to the experts and scholars of graduate education introduce the higher education system and administrative functions in the United States systematically (overview of education and higher education system in the United States; development of human resources and administrative staff management in higher education; information management and technology services in colleges and universities; employee welfare system in colleges and universities; faculty members in colleges and universities (Sources and training of university faculty; funding mechanism of U.S. universities; internationalization programs; handling relations with government, alumni associations, and media, etc.); introduction to degree and graduate education in the U.S. (recruitment and admission of graduate students to U.S. universities; admission, tuition and registration management; scholarships/grants and loans; research programs, scientific research and graduate student training; quality control of graduate student training; duties and roles of graduate student instructors; functions and responsibilities of graduate student management departments; and the role of graduate students. (the role of graduate instructors; the functions of graduate management departments and their relationship with university departments and supervisors; the audit and management system of degree authorization; the situation and management system of professional degrees; the employment of graduate students; the relationship between graduate training units and national and local governments and other departments), introduction to the assessment of higher education in the United States (the assessment system of higher education in the United States; the assessment of graduate education in the United States; the assessment of graduate schools in the United States), etc. Chinese and American colleagues in graduate education, in various forms, also discussed issues of mutual concern and gained a lot of insights. The delegation will submit a systematic report to the Ministry of Education and the Joint Council of Deans.

　　We are grateful for the strong support and assistance from the Education Association for International Exchange of the Ministry of Education for this visit.

Asecretariat of ACGS

April 6th, 2007