CIEE Resident Director participates in Project Pengyou, a project funded by the Ford Foundation

On December 10, 2011

Resident Director of the CIEE Study Center at Peking University, Dr. Tian Yuan, was invited to participate in the official launch of Project Pengyou with keynote speaker, US Ambassador Gary Locke, who spoke to a small group of "China alumni" at a teahouse in Beijing.

Project Pengyou, which means "friend" in Chinese, is funded by the Ford Foundation to support President Obama’s 100,000 Strong Initiative to increase the number and diversity of American students studying abroad in China. The event was part of a week of festivities promoting educational exchange between the US and China that ended on December 17 with a concert at the National Indoor Stadium featuring wil.i.am and John Legend.

CIEE Students in Shanghai Participate in Open Dialogue with U.S. Department of Education Officials

On May 7, 2011, a delegation of 20 education officials and representatives of the U.S. Department of Education held a forum at East China Normal University, host campus for the CIEE Study Center in Shanghai, to learn about the experience of Americans studying abroad in China. The delegation met with CIEE students from University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, The College of New Jersey, and The Pennsylvania State University, as well as the CIEE Chinese Language Coordinator, and other ECNU international students and language teachers for a round table discussion about the challenges and benefits of learning and teaching Chinese in Shanghai. Ms. Vivien Stewart, Senior Advisor for Education at the Asia Society, and Chair of Asia Society’s Confucius Classrooms Initiative and leader of the delegation, commented that she was very impressed with the CIEE program and its students.

The delegation also included State Superintendents for the Board of Education of Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, and Washington D.C.; President of the National School Boards Association; Vice President of the Carnegie Corporation; Vice President of Pearson, Inc.; President and CEO of the Education Development Center (EDC), and representatives of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The delegation was received by ECNU officials and the Director of the Chinese National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (Hanban), which is affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education.

For Chinese language news about the event see this official web portal of the Chinese Central Government and this ECNU press release.

CIEE Students from Shanghai Visit Minhang People’s Court and District Government

On December 3, 2011, CIEE students in the "International Business Law" course and Professor Matthew Szymanski, J.D., LL.M., an Adjunct Faculty at the CIEE Study Center in Shanghai and Vice President of Corporate Relations for SMIC, together with Chinese LL.M. Program students from the Ko Guan Law School of Shanghai Jiaotong University, received the rare opportunity to watch a Chinese court hearing live at the Minhang District People’s Court of Shanghai. After the hearing, Sun Chao, Party Secretary of Minhang District, and Professor Szymanski gave a presentation and took students’ questions about government, politics and law in China.

Sun Chao, who received an LL.M. from Georgetown University in 1991, led the government of Xuhui District, one of the most important commercial districts in central Shanghai, from 2003 to 2006, while serving as its Deputy Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC). During his tenure as its district mayor, Xuhui underwent a major renaissance in development and political reform. The June 2005 edition of Time Magazine praised Sun Chao for “making history” with his visionary leadership, which promotes greater accountability and transparency, and for being “a leader who listens” to the concerns of his constituents through town-hall style meetings. Since 2006 Sun has served as the CPC Secretary of Minhang District in central Shanghai.

For form information about the event please click here.

CIEE Beijing student shares panel with Assistant Secretary of State to promote study abroad in China

"It wasn’t until I studied abroad in China that I realized that I am not just an American citizen but I am a citizen of the world, and that my career and goals don’t have to be limited to one country, one region or even one continent." – Valery Lavigne

CIEE alumni, Valery Lavigne, participated in a panel discussion with three other students who recently returned from study abroad in China, following remarks by First Lady Michelle Obama during the “100,000 Strong” China Study Abroad Initiative Event at Howard University. The discussion was moderated by Ann Stock, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and was organized by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs on January 19, 2011, on the day of the U.S.-China State Visit in Washington.

Valery is a senior majoring in cultural anthropology at The College of New Jersey. In spring 2009 she studied abroad as a Gilman Scholar at the CIEE Study Center at Peking University in Beijing on the Intensive Chinese Language program. Inspired by her study abroad experience in China to seek a career beyond national borders, Valery is applying to the Peace Corps and hopes to be placed in China.

Read more about Valery’s study abroad experience in Beijing here. Read the White House press release about the Howard University event here and a transcript of remarks by the First Lady here.

Navigating China’s NGOs and GONGOs, a podcast with Jon Tai

John Tai, Academic Director for the CIEE China in a Global Context program at East China Normal University in Shanghai, speaks to Paul French, China editor for Ethical Corporation, on how Chinese NGOs and government NGOs (GONGOs) work together in modern China.

Click to download or listen (11 minutes).

CIEE Shanghai and Royal Asiatic Society China

Established in 1858 as the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society by a small group of British and Americans, the Royal Asiatic Society China was reformed in Hangzhou in 2006 by Dr. Judith Kolbas, Vice President of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland; Justin O’Jack, CIEE Director of Study Centers in Greater China; and Dr. Liu Wei, Zhejiang University Professor and adjunct faculty at the CIEE Study Center in Shanghai. The RAS China moved to Shanghai early in 2007 and O’Jack served as its Vice President, completing his four consecutive terms of office on November 30 at the 2010 Annual General Meeting. The RAS library, which includes rare 19th and early 20th century volumes of the society’s journal, will be moved from the CIEE Study Center at East China Normal University to the Writer’s Room of the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund early in the New Year. Learn more.

2010 University of Colorado Study Abroad Student of the Year

2010 University of Colorado Study Abroad Student of the Year is Nicolas Bertrand. Nicolas attended the Intensive Chinese Language program at the CIEE Study Center in Beijing, China. Nicolas is working on a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a B.S./M.S. in Applied Math. Nicholas is also enrolled in the International Engineering Certificate in Chinese. His nominator was motivated by his educational and cultural contributions. He was nominated by the College of Engineering.

Nicholas was awarded the prestigious Boren Scholarship for study in China. He completed advanced coursework in Mandarin and served as a teaching assistant for CIEE. The year after, Nicholas returned to Peking University and enrolled in courses as well as conducted research. He participated in a research team and co-authored a paper.

Last spring he was selected to be a part of the International Research and Education in Engineering summer program. He helped design and implement a green energy management system for Tonji University in Shanghai. The professor he worked with was so impressed that he asked Nick to live with his family and teach the professor’s children English. Nicholas also has been a great ambassador at CU-Boulder by encouraging fellow engineering students to study abroad.

Nicolas is the second winner in a row to have attended a CIEE program in Asia. Last year’s winner was Lynda McGauhey who had attended a CIEE Study Abroad program in Khon Kaen, Thailand

Bryant University President Meets with CIEE in Shanghai

On October 17, 2010, Ronald K. Machtley, President of Bryant University, and Dr. Hong Yang, Charles J. Smiley Chair of Environmental Sciences and Director of the Bryant University US-China Institute and Confucius Institute, met with Bryant University alumni living and working in Shanghai, and with Justin O’Jack, Center Director of the CIEE Study Center in Shanghai.

President Machtley has served as the 7th President of Bryant University since 1996, after serving more than six years in congress representing his state of Rhode Island. Under his leadership Bryant University founded the US-China Institute in 2005 and the Confucius Institute in 2006, both directed by Dr. Yang. In 2008 Bryant University launched an ambitious project to replicate the Shu Fang Zhai section of the Forbidden City on its campus, which will house the US-China Institute when completed.

This visit follows on the heels of David Lux, Bryant University Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, who visited Study Abroad providers in Shanghai in late September. Here is what Dean Lux had to say about CIEE on his China Blog:

CIEE Programs are among the most respected and long-standing programs in the study abroad world. The CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) was created in 1947 by a consortium of academics to send American students aboard with the goal of promoting peace and international understanding. In many ways, the non-profit CIEE model created the “modern” era of study abroad in the second half of the 20th century.

In Shanghai, CIEE offers its programs through East China Normal University. By all accounts, the CIEE program provides the broadest array of programs for students, and East China Normal certainly has a strong academic reputation. . . .Besides the programs in Shanghai, the CIEE is among the largest study abroad providers in the world. CIEE programs are known especially for their academic quality and their commitment to that original vision of promoting global understanding. Besides Shanghai, there are over 100 other CIEE programs available in 41 countries around the world.

Education Day at USA Pavilion

CIEE representatives in Shanghai were invited by the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai and Education USA to a reception and panel discussion focusing on higher education in the United States, which was held in the USA Pavilion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai on September 5, 2010. Justin O’Jack, Director of CIEE Study Centers in Greater China, joined members of the delegation from sixteen universities and institutions of higher education, including representative from several CIEE Member Institutions, such as Columbia University, George Washington University, American University, and Indiana University. Also in attendance were officials from the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, and Foreign Affairs Officers from universities in Shanghai and the surrounding three provinces. The panel discussion, which focused on educational opportunities in the U.S. for Chinese college and graduate students, was led by Mr. Tom Cooney, Acting Consul General in Shanghai and USA Deputy Commissioner General for the World Expo; Ms. Kristin Hagerstrom, Consular Section Chief of the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai; Ms. Fanta Aw, Assistant Vice President for Campus Life at American University in Washington D.C.; and Mr. Wang Lisheng, Deputy Director General of China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center.

International Hanban Conference in Shenyang

Chinese Language Director of the CIEE Study Center in Shanghai, Dr. Liao Jianling, joined colleagues from 38 countries at The 10th International Conference on Teaching and Learning Chinese, which took place in Shenyang, Liaoning province, from August 18-20, 2010. The conference is co-sponsored annually by the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching and the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban). Distinguished guests included leaders of Liaoning provincial government.

CIEE staff from Portland, ME, Mainland China, and Taiwan will be attending the 2010 ACTFL Conference.

In attendance will be:

• Dr. Yuan Tian, Resident Director, Beijing- Peking University
• Dr. Yu-Ling (Christie) Chang, Resident Director, Taipei- National Chengi University
• Dr. Liao Jianling, Academic Director, Shanghai- East China Normal University
• Dan Olds, Program Director, Asia- Portland, ME
• Kellie Sullivan, Director, Institutional Relations- Portland, ME
• Amy Dwyer, Senior Manager, Institutional Relations- Portland, ME

Staff Presenting at the conference:

• Dr. Liao Jianling will be presenting on “Interacting with Native Speakers on Cross-cultural Topics in Online Chats” Saturday, November 20th from 3:00-4:00pm in the Hynes Convention Center, Room 302/304.

CIEE will be hosting a coffee after the general session Friday morning. Please stop by the exhibit hall or visit us at Table #11 throughout the conference.

CIEE Center Director Justin O’Jack Featured in Youth Travel International magazine

Justin O’Jack, Center Director at the CIEE Study Center in Shanghai, comments on the increasing number of U.S. college students studying in China in the article, "A Positive Future for Asia’s Global Graduates" (p.10). Click here to read the entire article.

CIEE Beijing Alum returns to China as an ambassador to the World Expo

CIEE student Susan Wang (Beijing Intensive Chinese Language, AY 2009-2010), Returned to China to work as an ambassador at the United States Pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai. Read more about her story in the Boulder Daily Camera.

Shanghai BLC—Core Course Updated

In the past year, the Shanghai staff revised the content of one core course and added one new elective course. The core course, Chinese Business Practices, was restructured to provide students knowledge and understanding on “how to do business in China” and also to align its content to reflect course offerings in business schools.

In its new structure, the course consists of two modules, “Understanding and Operating in China’s Business Environment” and “Marketing to Chinese in China”. These two modules are taught by two practitioners: Timothy Lamb, a Director responsible for FDI in JLJ consulting company, and Jeff Zhu, a Sales and Marketing Director for Johnson and Johnson.

In the first module, students learned about the Chinese Business Environment and wrote a market entry plan for a real company, a client of the instructor. In the second module, students learned how to market to Chinese in China and wrote a marketing plan for the instructor’s client. For this course, the BLC Academic Director was the instructor of record.

CIEE Summer faculty, Howard French, awarded 2010 Open Society Fellowship

A Glimpse from Abroad – A Blog by Howard French

Howard French, a professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and former Bureau Chief for the New York Times in Shanghai whose writing was twice nominated for the Pulitzer, spent summer 2009 and 2010 in Shanghai teaching a summer course for CIEE students. Read about his time in China, as well as other aspects of his life, here.