The 2008 China Graduate School Deans' Association delegation to the United States (15 people), led by Professor Celi Gao (Vice President of Tsinghua University Graduate School), Professor Kunlong Yin (Executive Vice President of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) Graduate School), and Professor Deji Yu (Executive Vice President of Hunan University Graduate School), arrived in the United States at the end of April 28, 2008, and began a two-week exchange visit. On May 13, the delegation successfully completed the exchange visit and returned home.
In the morning of April 30, the delegation arrived at New York University (NYU), where Catherine R. Stimpson, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and University Professor, heads of several NYU colleges, and Zhang Xudong, a Chinese scholar working at NYU, met with the Chinese delegation. In the afternoon, the delegation arrived at Columbia University, where Henry C. Pinkham, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the deans of the School of Engineering and the School of Medicine made introductions, followed by a discussion.
In the morning of May 2, the delegation arrived at Johns Hopkins University, where it was hosted by Pamela Cranston (Vice Provost for International Exchange and Education Programs) and Hedy Alavi Whiting (Assistant Dean of the College of Engineering); and by Professor Leiyu Shi (Dr PH, MBA) of the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prof. Leiyu Shi (Dr PH, MBA,) of the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Andrew Douglas and Ed Sheinerman, Associate Dean of the Whiting School of Engineering, presented the doctoral and master's programs, respectively, and John Castellani of the School of Education presented research in educational technology and programs in Asia. In the afternoon, the delegation arrived at the headquarters of the American Association of Graduate Schools (CGS) and was hosted by CGS Vice President Robert Sowell and Ms. Diana Carlin, accompanied by Comrade Wang Xiaoyang, Second Secretary of the Education Office of the Chinese Embassy, who also served as translator. Diana gave a presentation on the research project "PhD Completion Project" (nearly half of them do not complete their PhD), which is funded by the Pfizer Foundation and the Ford Foundation for 7 years and led by CGS with 29 research partners. They also presented some of the research materials published by CGS.
On May 5, the delegation visited Michigan State University. Michigan State's Vice Provost Klomparens was the lead invitee for the event. In the morning, Professor Ann Austin, who is engaged in higher education research, gave a detailed introduction to the U.S. higher education system; immediately afterwards, four departments of MSU introduced their respective departments, namely: Graduate Education of Physics (Wolfgang Bauer), Timonthy Grotjohn of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Mathematics Director of Graduate Studies, Yan Baisheng, who is responsible for the admission of new students, management of current students, advisors, etc., and the Director of the Department of Chemical and Materials D. They also gave serious answers and explanations to the questions raised by the Chinese delegation. In the afternoon, Prof. Celi Gao, head of the Chinese delegation, and Prof. Dejiu Yu, deputy head of the delegation, introduced the situation of postgraduate education in China for more than 20 years from the macro and micro perspectives, including the degree and postgraduate education system, declaration and evaluation of discipline points, and quality assurance system in China, and answered the questions raised by the American counterparts, which were welcomed and well received by them.
On May 6, the delegation visited the gas pedal laboratory and biosafety and testing laboratory of Michigan State University.
In the subsequent study visits, the delegation also visited the University of Chicago, California Institute of Technology, etc.
The exchange visit was a tight schedule and heavy task with a full schedule. The Chinese and American counterparts exchanged the history, current situation, system and experience about the management of graduate education in both countries, discussed the current hot issues of international concern in the field of graduate education, and shared a common understanding of many aspects of the graduate training process. The delegation members had a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of the higher education system in the U.S., especially graduate education, as well as a lot of knowledge about the schools where the delegation members work. I believe it will be very helpful for us to do a good job in graduate education in the future. Through this visit, both China and the U.S. have enhanced understanding, promoted communication, and strengthened friendship.
The report of the visit is being completed and will be submitted to the joint meeting of the deans of graduate schools and the competent department of the Ministry of Education. According to the usual practice, the head of the delegation will also report on the overall situation of the study visit, as well as our experience, gains and suggestions at the next plenary meeting of the Joint Meeting of Graduate School Deans.
This exchange visit was supported and assisted by the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) of the Ministry of Education; the Education Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., Mr. You Shaozhong, and the Second Secretary, Mr. Wang Xiaoyang, also gave great help and warm hospitality to the delegation to the U.S., which made the delegation members deeply feel the warmth of the motherland, and we would like to express our sincere thanks to them!
Asecretariat of ACGS
May 26th, 2008