Agreement with Chinese Consulate will boost student mobility

Agreement with Chinese Consulate will boost student mobility

By Phil Gaudreau

August 14, 2017

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Provost Benoit Antoine-Bacon and Consul General He Wei speak at the University Club
Provost Benoit Antoine-Bacon and Consul General He Wei speak at the University Club.

Queen's University has signed an exciting new agreement with The Education Office, Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto. This new Memorandum of Understanding will see up to 10 Queen’s students per year offered a China Scholarship Council scholarship which would allow them to complete part of their studies in China.

The MOU was signed Friday during a campus visit by Consul General He Wei. The agreement aims to promote student mobility at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, across all disciplines. The scholarship will specifically support Queen’s students who wish to further understand China, learn the Chinese language, or study at Chinese universities. The scholarship will be awarded annually to either five students for a full academic year, or 10 students for one term.

Signing the MOU on behalf of Queen’s was Provost Benoit-Antoine Bacon.

“Increased cultural awareness, intellectual development, personal development, and career opportunities are only some of the benefit of International learning opportunities,” says Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). “This new agreement aligns with our Comprehensive International Plan by enhancing our relationship with China and growing our reputation as a truly international institution. We are pleased to partner with the Consulate General to open up this exciting opportunity for our students, and we look forward to the announcement of our first recipients this fall.”

In addition to the signing ceremony, Mr. He’s first ever visit to Queen’s included meetings with the Vice-Principal (Research), and with the Director of China Liaison Office, followed by a lunch hosted by the Provost. Topics of discussion included research collaboration, student mobility, faculty exchange, and non-academic student support services. The visit was a part of Mr. He’s introduction to Canada – he became China’s new Consul General in Toronto in April.

During the last academic year, 19 Queen’s students participated in an exchange with partners in China and 24 participated in the Canada Learning Initiative in China (CLIC) program, which provides students with fully funded study opportunities in China. Queen's is one of seven Canadian university members of the CLIC program, which was formed in partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), the China Scholarship Council, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada, and a number of top Chinese universities.

To learn more about exchange opportunities for Queen’s students, visit the International Programs Office website.