PREMIER'S OFFICE--Saint Mary's University Partner in Canada-China

PREMIER'S OFFICE--Saint Mary's University Partner in Canada-China Institute

Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm is applauding Saint Mary's University for its role in the Canada-China Institute at Shanghai University.

Premier Hamm, who is among the delegates joining Prime Minister Jean Chretien on the Team Canada Trade Mission in the People's Republic of China, attended a signing ceremony this week for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Shanghai University. The launch of the project puts a Nova Scotia university at the forefront of an innovative education initiative in China.

Saint Mary's University, along with the Université du Québec in Montreal and Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., will partner to work with Shanghai University in the delivery of academic programming and on the establishment of the Canada-China Institute at Shanghai University.

The institute, scheduled to open in September, will deliver communication and business-related curricula in French and English. The Canadian portion of the $4.5-million project is $1 million, to be shared equally among the three universities.

"Nova Scotia is proud of Saint Mary's as a leader in the recruitment of international students and as a university that has had great success in developing innovative ways to make higher education accessible to students all around the globe," Premier Hamm said.

Saint Mary's brings to the partnership China-specific expertise that developed from working with China for nearly 20 years.

"We've operated language and cultural centres in five different Chinese cities for more than a decade," said Saint Mary's President Dr. Colin Dodds. "We also assisted a major Chinese university in developing its MBA program, partnered with a Chinese company in the delivery of executive management training, and we worked with two Chinese universities on a multi-million dollar environmental project."

Saint Mary's works throughout the world delivering academic programs, short-term training, and assisting in development projects, including a $7-million community-based conservation management program in China and Vietnam.

Saint Mary's is one of the most "internationalized" universities in Canada, with students from almost 100 different countries. The English as a Second Language Centre on campus offers intense, year-round orientation programs and provides ongoing support.
Saint Mary's University will celebrate its bicentennial in 2002.