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April 22,
2008
LIVINGSTON,
Ala.--Dr.
Ken Tucker, dean of The University of West Alabama’s
College of Business, recently returned from Gov. Bob
Riley’s nine-day Alabama Trade and Business
Development Mission to China.
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Representing The University of West
Alabama, Dr. Ken Tucker met with Chinese
officials to promote UWA and the state.
Pictured, from left, are Louis Ching,
president of CMC Capital Group; Gov. Bob
Riley; Dr. Carl Ching, president of the
United World Chinese Association; and
Tucker, UWA College of Business dean. |
As part of the state’s
delegation of 40 business, education and government
leaders, Tucker met with key university officials to
help establish cooperative agreements between UWA
and respected Chinese institutions of higher
education.
“This is a unique
initiative for UWA,” said Tucker, who has made three
such trips to China in the last year. “I met with
six different universities in Shanghai, Nanjing and
Hong Kong, and at least three of them plan to send
proposals for co-op programs with UWA. The trip was
a very positive experience.”
The University hopes to
establish mutually beneficial educational programs
including a variety of faculty and student exchange,
study abroad, student and business internships,
specialized training and certification and dual
degree programs. For UWA, partnerships with Chinese
universities will mean increased enrollment, a more
internationalized curriculum and global exposure for
students.
UWA has already
established memorandums of agreement with two
Chinese universities, Guangdong University of
Finance and Guangming New City College. Tucker says
he hopes other universities will partner with UWA as
a result of his latest trip, as Chinese students are
hungry for American higher education.
UWA was one of six
Alabama universities represented in the delegation,
and Tucker says he also made steps toward partnering
with other state institutions as they continue to
explore cooperative educational programs with
Chinese universities.
“With 23 percent of the
world’s population, China boasts one of the world’s
fastest growing economies,” Tucker said. “I was
honored to be a part of this distinguished Alabama
delegation, and I know this trip helped open new
doors for UWA and deepened existing relationships
that will benefit the University for years to come
as we launch new endeavors with our Chinese
counterparts.” |
