“Our graduate criminology program is very highly rated, and
criminology is a relatively new area of academic study in China, so
there was a great deal of interest in this type of program,” said CAS
Dean George Watson, who with UD colleagues met with administrators,
faculty and students at four universities during eight days in China.
“I think these universities recognize that we have very strong
programs and that we’re a global university that can offer a lot of
academic and cultural advantages to their students.”
Agreements were signed with Xiamen University’s School of Public
Affairs, Beijing Normal University’s School of Sociology and the law
schools of Beijing Normal University and Southwestern University of
Finance and Economics. In China, unlike the U.S., law schools generally
offer undergraduate programs.
In addition to Watson, the UD representatives included Karen F. Parker, professor and interim chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, and Ivan Sun, professor of criminology who played a “critical” role in developing the program, Parker said.
Faculty members Aaron Kupchik and Aaron Fichtelberg also were part of
the UD delegation. They met with faculty and students in China and gave
talks about their research on subjects such as school safety and
international criminal justice.
Plans call for Profs. Fichtelberg and Ronet Bachman to teach in China
in summer 2017, offering theory and research-methods courses. The
classes will be held at Xiamen University but will also include students
from other partnership institutions.
“Criminology and sociology are growing areas of interest in China,
and many of their programs are fairly new,” Parker said. “In China,
there’s also a growing interest in the study of law, behavior and the
training of lawyers and judges.”
Other U.S. universities recruit graduate students in China, of
course, but Parker said she thinks UD’s approach — an exchange program
in which faculty members travel there to offer some courses before
Chinese students come here — makes it stand out. The program may serve
as a model for other Western universities in the future, she said.
Parker also expects the program to benefit UD’s domestic students.
“The students who come from China will bring their own, global
perspective to classrooms here, and I’m sure that will be enlightening
for all the students who get to interact with them,” she said. “We were
in China for a relatively short time, but just talking with students and
faculty there and hearing the kinds of questions they asked was very
informative for us.”
Although the program will begin with about 10 Chinese students in the
first two years, officials expect it to grow over time. And, Watson
said, the students selected to take part will be talented and may decide
to continue on to doctoral studies at UD.
English Language Institute agreement
Also during the recent visit to China, Watson signed an agreement between UD’s English Language Institute (ELI) and Sichuan International Studies University (SISU).
SISU, a top institution in southwestern China specializing in foreign
language education and global studies, will send administrators,
students and faculty members to the ELI for short-term programs in
English language study and other areas.
In remarks at the signing ceremony, Watson called UD and SISU “a good fit.”
“Both universities emphasize the preparation of global citizens and
highly qualified graduates through their internship opportunities,
volunteerism, discovery learning and study abroad programs,” he said.
“SISU and UD both welcome many international students to their
short-term and long-term programs each year and have active partnerships
with many universities around the world.”
UD delegates also met with representatives from SISU’s Department of
Sociology. The department has decided to sign an agreement with CAS to
become a partner of the exchange program in sociology.
In July, SISU officials visited UD to observe classes and meet with ELI representatives.
Emily Liu, ELI’s East Asian recruitment coordinator, also joined the UD delegation in China.
Article by Ann Manser and orginally posted on UDaily.
