TWO DEANS, PROF HEADING TO CHINA TO EXPLORE EXCHANGES

From: Media Relations

February 21, 2006

HARRISONBURG — Professors from Chinese universities could be teaching and observing James Madison University classes and programs as early as next fall, and Chinese students could soon follow.

A proposed agreement between several Chinese universities and JMU on exchanging faculty and students is among topics to be explored next week when three JMU faculty travel to China: Dr. Jerry Benson, dean of the College of Integrated Science and Technology; Dr. Robert Reid, dean of the College of Business; and Dr. Ping Wang, associate professor of computer information systems, will leave for a 10-day trip to China Saturday, Feb. 25.

The trip will feature visits to six universities, along with a few tourist attractions. The universities, Benson said, appear to have similar missions to that of JMU. In addition to JMU hosting Chinese students, the JMU representatives will look into the possibility of JMU students studying there.

"There's been an overall interest to expand our international programs to the Asian theater," Benson said. "We've been largely Europe based.

"China is reaching out at this point in time in terms of their economic growth and where they're moving as a country, so the timing seemed right."

Wang, with 20 JMU students, spent time in China over the past two summers and researched universities he thought would be good exchange partners with JMU. The upcoming trip will further explore the exchange possibilities.

Benson, Reid and Wang will return to the United States March 8.

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