UEA strengthens academic relations through new study scheme
By: Communications
The University of East Anglia has joined a major new initiative designed to boost cultural and academic exchange between students in China and the UK.
Prof Steven McGuire, Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) at UEA, visited Beijing last week to launch the High Achiever Programme (HAP), together with Dr Yifan Chen from Norwich Business School.
The initiative has been developed by the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) and will see UEA working closely with its current partner Achieve International Education Group (AIEG), who co-organised the launch.
The programme will involve partner UK universities offering greater support to Chinese students choosing the UK as their study destination, including onward study options at MSc and MA levels. The HAP aims to give more structure and assurance to prospective students.
In addition to increasing the flow of Chinese students to the UK, the programme has a clear reciprocal aspect, namely the creation of a study in China option for UK students.
This element, the Study Tour Pioneering Scheme, is designed to promote short-term study experiences for British university students.
It brings together ten leading Chinese universities and six UK institutions, including the Universities of Birmingham, York and Exeter, alongside UEA as inaugural partners of HAP.
Prof McGuire, who is also Chair of the HAP Academic Advisory Board, said: “The High Achiever Programme reflects UEA’s ambitions for high quality and reciprocal internationalisation.
“We have developed a superb set of partners that will offer our UEA students an excellent education and experience in China. We expect this will also showcase UEA to prospective students from China.”
Mr Dali Chen, from China’s Ministry of Education, said he hoped this programme would be a vital engine for enhancing two-way student mobility, a solid bond for promoting mutual understanding and an accelerator for driving innovation in higher education in both countries.
Lord Jo Johnson, Chairman of AIEG, said: “The launch is a significant moment, as we connect ten distinguished Chinese universities with six leading UK institutions - including a key member, the University of East Anglia, from the High Achiever Programme Consortium.
“These short, intensive study experiences provide academic exposure, cultural understanding, and lasting academic and professional networks.”
The scheme, which is supported by the British Council, is already attracting significant interest. It will see Chinese students apply from across AIEG’s extensive network of universities in China and join UEA degrees in Business, Computer Science, and Finance.
Successful applicants study at two different UK universities starting with the second or third year of undergraduate, before undertaking a Masters programme.
Image: Prof Steven McGuire presenting a UEA plate to Ms You Jia, Director of European Affairs at the international division of the Ministry of Education
Following the launch ceremony on January 14, held at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Prof McGuire attended a meeting at the Ministry of Education hosted by Vice Minister Mr Youqun Ren to discuss future areas of collaboration.
As part of the event, Prof McGuire presented a gift to the Ministry in recognition of UEA’s longstanding contributions to transnational education (TNE), research partnerships, and its ongoing commitment to advancing two-way student mobility between the UK and China.
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