Washtenaw Community College is one of only three community colleges in the United States chosen to host a delegation of six Chinese technical/vocational college presidents and vice presidents June 9-23.
The high-level college leaders seek a better understanding of premier technical and vocation education in the U.S., which is exactly what they will find in the classrooms and learning labs at WCC.
The two-week cultural and leadership initiative opens the door for the college to exchange ideas and best practices, and to explore new opportunities with one of the largest economic powerhouses on the worldwide stage today.
WCC faculty and executives will immerse the Chinese administrators in all aspects of vocational and technical education. They also will extend the scope into the community to include introductions with local business and industry leaders, workforce training collaborators, and higher education colleagues at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.
“This is a true two-way exchange, we will learn a great deal about the Chinese culture and educational system and they will learn a lot about ours,” said Dr. Rose B. Bellanca, WCC president. “The opportunity to provide this kind of information and experience for our faculty, students, and community cannot be measured. I am very excited to explore the possibilities this visit creates and to identify new ways in which WCC can benefit from international collaborations like this one.”
The visit is part of the Vocational Education Leadership Training (VELT) Program coordinated jointly by the American Association of Community Colleges and the China Education Association for International Exchange. The Government of the Peoples’ Republic of China provides funding for the China-VELT Program.