Happy Halloween! I hope everyone is set for trick-or-treaters. It looks like it’s going to be a chilly evening.

If you follow me on Twitter (or whatever we’re calling it these days…), you might have seen that I recently visited China – my first official working visit since the start of COVID in 2020. We covered five cities in nine days – nine flights – all on time.

Missouri State University has been active in China for over 25 years, where we currently partner with 18 universities. We have 795 students from China enrolled this fall on our campuses in China and Springfield.

Given a four-year absence due to COVID, re-establishing the face-to-face connection was very important to our relationships in China.  We had the opportunity to maintain and grow existing programs, restart programs that had ended, as well as establish new programs in targeted areas.

What took place

In Dalian, home of LNU-MSU College of International Business, we celebrated the 23rd anniversary of this collaboration, signed an agreement to add a second major (data analytics) and signed an agreement to collaborate with LNU on a dual master’s degree in music.

In Beijing, we signed an agreement for a 2+2 transfer program in hospitality leadership with Tianjin Maritime College, met with long-time partner Ningxia University to discuss the next area of program collaboration and held a reception hosting MSU alumni, friends and representatives from six partner universities.

In Chongqing, home of Southwest University (SWU), we attended an opening ceremony and program welcome for 88 new students in the plant science program, signed a five-year renewal of the agreement that guides this program and conducted a program overview with SWU College of Agronomy and Biotechnology – where we are planning for future program growth and improved student experience.

Along the way, we met with an outstanding group of young alums in Xi’an.

I’d like to give a big shoutout to Vice President for Community and Global Partnerships Brad Bodenhausen and his team for organizing and planning this very strategic visit. They’re the force behind these successful relationships and programs in China.

And finally, don’t forget, nominations for the Staff Excellence in University Award are due Nov. 10.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State.

Clif