Huntington College affiliates with Chinese university

FOR RELEASE July 2, 2002
HUNTINGTON, IN— Huntington College president G. Blair Dowden has signed an affiliation agreement with Jingmei University, a new institution of higher learning located on the outskirts of Beijing, China.

The only American-style, residential university in China, Jingmei University will offer a liberal arts curriculum focused on global leadership studies. Instruction will be in English. Four academic themes will characterize Jingmei University: critical thinking, communication and teamwork skills, character development and social responsibility, and cross-cultural understanding.

“These four distinctives may be atypical in China’s educational system, yet are needed in China’s emerging market economy,” said Dr. Ron Webb, former dean at Huntington College who now serves as provost at Jingmei University. 

Webb will play a key role in launching the new university. A small pilot class will be enrolled this fall, with plans for significantly increased enrollment in 2003.

Jingmei University will begin with three academic programs: business administration, management information systems, and English communication. A fourth program in software engineering will soon be added. 

The university also includes Jingmei Training Center, an umbrella organization for adult education and for English education of Chinese students who are potential Jingmei University or affiliate institution students. 

Dowden indicated that the affiliation between Huntington College and Jingmei University will offer many benefits to students and faculty at both institutions.  These include:

  • Opportunity for Huntington College faculty to engage in joint research projects with their Chinese counterparts.
  • Opportunity for Huntington students to study at Jingmei University for one semester.
  • Opportunity for Huntington faculty and staff to spend a sabbatical semester or year teaching or consulting in China. 
  • Opportunity for Huntington faculty to develop professional relationships with Chinese colleagues from Jingmei’s partner university in China, the Capital University of Economics and Business.
  • Opportunity for Huntington faculty to participate in symposia series in Beijing.  Recent topics have included “Family Enterprise Development” and “Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics.” 
  • Opportunity for Huntington College to host Chinese faculty and students for a semester. 
  • Opportunity for volunteer service projects in China.

The affiliation agreement with Jingmei University is the latest implementation of a goal set forth in Huntington College’s strategic plan: enhancing the intercultural perspective of students, faculty, and staff.  Huntington expects 75% of its faculty to have significant professional experience in an international setting.

Huntington College is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 60 academic concentrations. Founded in 1897 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Huntington College is located on a contemporary, lakeside campus in Huntington, Indiana.

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