Okanagan College Media Release - April 17, 2007

Okanagan College and Lanzhou University, one of China’s most prominent universities, have signed a letter of intent to develop academic and educational co-operation between the two institutions.

This is the first agreement that Okanagan College has signed with a Chinese university. 
The Letter of Intent was signed Monday by Lanzhou University Vice-President Professor Jing Tao and by Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton.

“This creates a remarkable opportunity for our institutions,” says Hamilton. “Our students, faculty and staff will benefit as we work together to develop and promote institutional exchanges in teaching, research and professional development.” 

“Our countries and regions will also benefit from the cultural understanding and links that this educational partnership should afford,” says Lanzhou University Vice-President Professor Jing Tao.

Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton and Jing Tao, Vice President of Lanzhou University commit to an institutional partnership

The letter of intent also outlines that each of the institutions will receive undergraduate students from the partner institution for periods of study and/or research; that they will work together to organize symposia, conference, short courses and meetings on research issues; and, will carry out joint research and continuing education programs.

The agreement also commits the two institutions to exchanging information pertaining to developments in teaching, student development and research.

Lanzhou University was founded in 1909 and is in Lanzhou, which is the capital of Gansu Province. 
It has approximately 45,000 students: 35,700 undergraduates, 8,000 post-graduate and 1,300 PhD students.

Okanagan College can trace its history to 1963, and currently has about 5,900 students.
The College already has exchange partnership agreements with:

•    Berlin School of Economics, Germany
•    Jyvaskyla University of Applied Science, Finland
•    Hogeschool Zeeland, The Netherlands
•    University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, Austria
•    ESPEME, France
•    ISAIP/ESAIP Group of Angers, France
•    Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
•    University of Southern Queensland, Australia
•    Griffith University, Queensland Australia
•    Swinburne University of Technology, Australia