Waikato University strengthens ties with China

MEDIA RELEASE

24 May 2017

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UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO LEADS THE WAY IN CHINA WITH NEW JOINT INSTITUTE
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The University of Waikato has further strengthened its ground-breaking partnership with Zhejiang University City College (ZUCC) in Hangzhou, China this month, with the launch of a new joint institute that will see Waikato’s world-class degrees being fully delivered on site in Hangzhou.

The University of Waikato has broken new ground once again, becoming the first New Zealand university authorised to deliver full degree programmes in China. The institute builds on 15 years of joint programmes in Hangzhou.

At the institute’s launch, University of Waikato Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Alister Jones welcomed the initiative, saying “We’ve been privileged to have a long association with ZUCC, and with China, and we are proud to be a part of this exciting new chapter. We were delighted when China’s Ministry of Education formally approved the Institute in late 2016, making the University of Waikato the first New Zealand university to receive Ministry approval to fully deliver its degrees in China. Chinese students will receive New Zealand-certified degrees in a uniquely New Zealand learning environment while also being able to stay close to home, family and career opportunities.”

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, the Hon Paul Goldsmith opened the institute when he travelled with a delegation to Zhejiang for the University of Waikato Joint Institute’s launch at ZUCC, the latest move in the ongoing educational partnership that has already seen more than 600 ZUCC students graduate with joint ZUCC/University of Waikato degrees. Many of these graduates have excelled in business or continued on to postgraduate study at other world-leading universities.

The new purpose-built institute, designed with New Zealand design principles, teaching approaches and standards in mind, will be staffed by University of Waikato academics delivering degrees in Finance, Computer Graphic Design and Design Media. The nearly 9,000m2 facility reflects the Waikato region’s strong link with the environment and will also welcome exchange students from the University of Waikato’s Hamilton and Tauranga campuses. The programmes have approval to enrol nearly 1000 students.

“The Chinese government holds foreign academic partners to the highest standards,” said Professor Jones. “Receiving approval to establish a joint institute in China reflects the trust between our two institutions and, as the first New Zealand university to receive this approval, represents another historic milestone for Waikato’s longstanding work in China.

Over the years the relationship between ZUCC and the University of Waikato has evolved from student programmes, staff training, and now the establishment of the Joint Institute. The relationship contributes to and enhances the China-New Zealand cultural and educational exchange – and our world-class graduates are proof of this enduring relationship.”

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