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SurfingThroughNoise

7/05

HOW A UNIVERSITY IN WESTERN KANSAS WENT GLOBAL:
FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY'S CHINESE-AMERICAN
BACHELOR OF GENERAL STUDIES PROGRAM
Back in the early 1990s, Fort Hays State University (FHSU) started to take a more serious, proactive look into how it could expand its distance education programs both domestically and globally. Today, through a series of fortuitous events, and its overall ability to combine flexibility and innovation at the institutional level, FHSU is providing several thousand students living in China, and growing, with an American-conferred bachelor of general studies (BGS) degree, with five concentrations, that is part face-to-face and part distance learning. FHSU, which offers the BGS degree through its Virtual College, is currently managing this program in partnership with four Chinese institutions: SIAS International University in Xinzheng City, Henan; the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing; Shenyang Normal University in Shenyang, Liaoning; and Tak Ming College in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Canada. MORE

CONNECTING THE DOTS . . .
How FHSU developed its institutional infrastructure over the last 14 years in order to adequately prepare for the expansion of its bachelor of general studies program into China. MORE

INTERVIEW WITH SHAWN CHEN, FOUNDER AND CEO
OF SIAS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
As noted on the SIAS web site, Shawn Chen, Chinese-American founder and CEO of SIAS International University, is "an American success story in the area of international industrial manufacturing, including diversified investments in a conglomeration of hotels and restaurants in the Los Angeles region. . . Chen’s objective is to use an academic environment to promote friendships, improve living standards, and raise the education levels for the people of China." Educational Pathways had an opportunity to talk with Chen. Not surprisingly, he was getting ready to go back to China when we interviewed him about the present and future of Chinese-foreign education cooperation. MORE

TEACHING ENGLISH WRITING SKILLS TO THE NATIVE CHINESE
Teaching Chinese students college-level English writing skills poses a number of challenges, including the introduction of such concepts as how to compose a proper thesis statement, organize essays and research papers, and use transitions for coherence. Additionally, "Western writing is different from Eastern writing. We are much more direct; whereas, Chinese writing tends to be more circuitous and not as thesis-statement-driven as our Western essays," says FHSU English Department Chair Cheryl Duffy. MORE

NOTES ON CHINA (WITH LINKS)
A compendium of statistics, observations, and comments from a wide variety of sources - including personal communications, research reports, and articles from various media sources - concerning the new Chinese business and economic, political and educational landscape (also see Endnotes at end of this compendium for links to timely articles and reports). MORE

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