In the 10 weeks I have been in this office, I have been pleasantly surprised and very impressed with the calls I have received regarding our China Programs. I’ve received calls from both public and private Research I institutions in the Midwest asking about how we run our China Programs. They want to know details, not because our program is perfect, but rather because we are so far ahead of them in developing a solid, comprehensive program.
Over the years, Missouri State has received similar calls from state government, from national associations and from scholars doing research on these kinds of programs.
With the recent media coverage on one aspect of our China Programs – the Executive MBA program – I thought it would be helpful to give you a more comprehensive overview of a program that is the envy of many and one of our competitive advantages over other universities.
An overview
Missouri State’s China Programs began in 1998. Over time, it has grown and matured into several component parts: academic programs, research partnerships, exchange programs and much more. It is this combination of programs that causes other institutions/agencies/offices to call us to find out more.
Another reason we are contacted is that our China Programs generate more revenue than expenses. Said another way, the programs pay for themselves and also generate carry-forward funds. For example, in fiscal year 2010, revenues over expenses at our campus in China were a little more than $200,000. Those monies will be distributed as follows: $42,000 to the College of Business Administration, $24,000 to Missouri State University-West Plains and $134,000 will be transferred into our China Development budget which supports initiatives to further develop our recruiting, education and research activities in China. There is no longer any issue of getting the money home.
Component parts
I want to summarize for you a few of the most significant component parts of the China Programs. You can also learn more on the Office of China Programs website.
Liaoning Normal University-Missouri State University College of International Business in Dalian
- This program has been in operation since 2000 and is currently in its second year of a 10-year extension of the partnership between Liaoning Normal University and Missouri State University.
- At LNU, the Missouri State University System offers two degrees: Associate of Arts in General Business from MSU-West Plains and a two-year completion program by the MSU-Springfield College of Business Administration which leads to the Bachelor of Science in General Business.
- All courses are taught in English, and students must take English proficiency tests before being admitted. As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we recently raised the English proficiency standards, which is partly responsible for the decrease of 30-40 freshmen admitted into the program.
- MSU-West Plains is solely responsible for the curriculum offered and the faculty selected to teach classes for the initial two years. West Plains’ China AA program is separately accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and there are more than 500 students in the program this fall.
- The students receiving the AA degree have the choice of transferring to Missouri State-Springfield or remaining in the program in Dalian. Those remaining in Dalian are taught by our College of Business Administration faculty and the curriculum meets all of the accreditation requirements of AACSB. This fall, about 200 students remained in Dalian for years three and four, while 285 students are in Springfield taking their third year (125) and fourth year (160) courses.
- Also, as part of continuous improvement, the College of Business Administration is in the process of hiring two bilingual employees – one employee will be a China Programs Specialist, who provides a variety of support services for Chinese students studying in COBA, and the second will be an advisor working primarily with Chinese students.
Qingdao University
- Missouri State University and Qingdao University have had a student and faculty exchange program in place since 1998.
- The faculty exchange program supports one Qingdao University faculty member teaching Chinese in our modern and classical languages department while Missouri State sends an exchange instructor to teach English at Qingdao University.
- In addition, an active program exists between the music departments of Missouri State and Qingdao University.
Study away in China Programs
- Missouri State students are given the opportunity to study at any one of four partner universities in China – Qingdao University in Qingdao, Henan University of Economics and Law in Zhengzhou, Renmin (People’s) University of China in Beijing and Liaoning Normal University in Dalian.
Research partnerships
- Qingdao University of Science and Technology (QUST) – Missouri State and QUST have agreed to promote collaborative research in nanoscale materials, nanoscale devices, nanostructured spintronic materials, biomaterials, materials and metal complexes in hydrothermal solutions, and photovoltaic materials.
- Ningxia Forestry Institute and Ningxia University (Yinchuan) and China Agricultural University (Beijing) – Missouri State and these partners have developed a dual master’s degree in plant science and have also established collaborative research projects designed to promote research programs in viticulture, enology, plant pathology, and other agriculture and fruit science related areas. The MSU partnership with China Agricultural University in Beijing (China’s top ranked agricultural university) began in 2004.
Executive MBA
- In 2007, COBA partnered with the International Management Education Center (IMEC) to offer the EMBA Program (Executive MBA Option). We respectfully disagree with the Springfield News-Leader’s editorial on our work with IMEC; we believe the partnership has been essential in the development of this program.
- This one-year, accelerated, cohort-based, 33-credit hour program is designed specifically for students “sponsored” by Chinese professional associations, provincial and municipal government agencies, and universities.
- Since 2007, 10 cohorts totaling 370 students have enrolled in the program. We believe the nearly five-fold increase in student enrollment from 2007-10 reflects student and sponsor satisfaction with the program and growth in the number of sponsoring organizations.
- All EMBA courses are taught on an overload basis – 29 COBA faculty have taught in this program since 2007.
- While English language skills are critical, experience to date indicates success is equally influenced by a multitude of other factors, including academic preparation, work experience, motivation and other time commitments (e.g., family obligations). We do agree with the News-Leader editorial that English language proficiency deserves on-going improvement and monitoring for quality assurance.
- The EMBA Program does help generate additional revenue, which is helpful, particularly in difficult economic times.
- The EMBA Program contributes to the University’s long-term commitment to economic development.
- The relationships being developed with sponsoring organizations, especially Chinese universities, have and will continue to provide cross-marketing opportunities for other academic programs at Missouri State.
Balancing priorities, challenges and benefits
Operating programs in two very different cultures, with very different education systems, is challenging, at best. We continue working hard on this initiative and to improve the quality of our programs for one reason: We believe there are tremendous benefits, primarily for our students and faculty, but also for the University itself, Springfield and the region.
If we are serious about the importance of and our commitment to diversity, international education and preparing our students to compete in a global economy, then we absolutely must have these kinds of programs. China is just one example. While we have 701 students from China this fall, we have a total 1,296 international students from 76 countries, and we are developing and/or expanding formal relationships in several countries, including Brazil and India.
And, if we continue to offer these programs, differences in culture, trust and language will continue to be challenges – challenges that also represent opportunities for us to address and strengthen our programs.
Should we lower our standards? Absolutely not. That is not the case now and no one is suggesting that. But we should be aware, empathetic, helpful and student-centered in our approach because that’s the right thing to do, and that’s what we expect as our students travel and study abroad.
Comprehensive internal audit
Will we improve each year we have the program? Absolutely. The China Programs are better today than last year or five years ago or in 1998. Most recently, Dr. Jim Baker, who oversees International Programs, asked for a comprehensive internal audit of the China Programs so improvements could be made.
The China Programs are a major financial operation. In 2011-12, for example, the 569 students in the undergraduate and graduate programs will generate about $5.85 million in gross revenue. The EMBA program will generate about $1.3 million in revenues. We must ensure these funds are being handled appropriately.
The audit is being completed in two stages. The first stage of that audit, which dealt with travel, is now complete. It can be best categorized as “routine” – no major findings but several suggestions for improvement. See the full audit. The second stage of the audit, regarding the overall finances of the program, will be available in the near future, and again we will post it on the Web for all to see.
Future commitment
So, we are committed to continuing our very successful China Programs, and we are committed to improving it every year just as we have done since 1998. Further, we are committed to expanding our international programs where it makes sense and where it is economically viable.
I hope this summary has been helpful to you. I wanted you to know what has caused so many to call us for advice.
–Clif
Note – This begins a new regular feature of this communication. I also plan to share these stories of faculty, staff and students as I visit with service clubs, alumni groups and others.
A friend introduced Jesse Balami to Missouri State’s China campus. Jesse is from Nigeria and was one of several non-Chinese students at the China campus, although he speaks Chinese fluently. At the China campus, Jesse appreciated the courses being taught in English, and he “loved the way the instructors were so helpful, how they taught their classes, and how they created close relationships with the students.”
Since he is a global studies major, Jesse decided to come to the Springfield campus to complete his degree rather than remain in China. He has appreciated the facilities, the Career Center, student services and the many other resources he found here. Springfield also has made a positive impression on him: “The people were so kind, generous and helpful.” He also liked that “Springfield is a clean and safe environment to study and live.” I am happy to report that Jesse is doing well and will graduate on time. From Nigeria, Africa, to Dalian, China, to Springfield, Missouri, that is the world in which we live in 2011.
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