Stevens and Changchun Institute make cooperative pact

Stevens Institute of Technology has joined in a memorandum of understanding to establish mutually beneficial links with Changchun Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (CIOFM) in the People's Republic of China. This latest link to an educational institution outside the United States is further proof of a new era of global understanding and cooperation for many American universities, a reality that Stevens has helped to pioneer.

The cooperative educational pact signed by Stevens and CIOFM, which has an enrollment of 13,000 and is located in the city of Changchun, will allow for student and faculty exchanges as well as many opportunities for cooperative projects, particularly in the academic areas that the two institutions have in common.

On August 10, Dr. Joseph J. Moeller Jr., Stevens' Vice President for The Graduate School and Research Services, and Dr. Xu Hong-Ji, Vice President of CIOFM, signed a joint letter of understanding that begins what both hope is a long relationship with a bright future. Prior to the signature of the memo, Dr. Xu met with Stevens' Vice President for Enrollment Management, Information Technology, and Student Development, Maureen Weatherall, on the Stevens' campus in Hoboken, N.J. The representatives of the two institutions met to finalize the understanding and discuss ways to work together.

"The signing with CIOFM represents a significant and growing set of relationships with key high-quality institutions internationally," says Moeller. "There is a synergy in programmatic and scholarly interests between Stevens and Changchun Institute. Obviously, there are benefits for all involved. For Stevens, these linkages have the potential of increasing our pool of excellent student applicants, among many other important advantages."

Moeller notes that approximately 100 of Stevens' graduate and undergraduate students are Chinese citizens, and the numbers have been steadily increasing in the last few years.

During their recent meetings, Weatherall and Xu explored various possibilities now available to them, including: student/faculty exchange, joint research by faculty and students, high-level collaborations, joint seminars on special academic topics of interest to both institutions, and web-based distance learning programs.

Founded in 1958, CIOFM aims to produce science and technology leaders who will shape the future of the Chinese economy and business environment with multidisciplinary, multi-category skills in science, technology, and management. More about the institution may be found at its website at inter.ciom.edu.cn.

Stevens seeks to foster leaders in many professions through an educational environment called "Technogenesis," a term trademarked recently by the university. The term refers to "the educational frontier in which students, faculty and industry jointly nurture new technologies from concept to realization." This new model for higher education is already distinguishing Stevens among the nation's top universities in technological education.

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for technology commercialization in academe, known as Technogenesis®, involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value.

Stevens offers baccalaureates, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,150 undergraduate and 3,500 graduate students, with about 250 full-time faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at www.stevens.edu.  

For the latest news about Stevens, please visit StevensNewsService.com.