Concordia University in River Forest has expanded its international outreach, beginning a new three-year program in early childhood education at a major university in the northeast corner of China.

The university is starting to hire faculty and staff for the effort, which will be based at Dalian Maritime University. Alan Meyer, Concordia’s executive vice president of planning and research, said it will offer students practical and vocational education for working in early childhood centers in China. There also will be a strong emphasis on English language development.

Students wanting a bachelor’s degree will come to River Forest for two years of additional education in theory, practice and leadership. Additional degree programs in education are planned for the future, university officials said.

A major seaport and shipping center, Dalian is located 370 miles due east of Beijing and across the Yellow Sea from Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. 

The effort in China comes as part of Concordia’s move to help American students and those coming to River Forest from Costa Rica, Eastern Europe, India and elsewhere understand the value and importance of becoming global citizens. 

The world of today and tomorrow is very different than it was a generation ago. Technology, transportation and geo-political realities have created a world where events in one place affect others across the globe. The next generation of leaders must be prepared to succeed in a complex and globalized human family, said Rev. Daniel L. Gard, Concordia’s president.

“Concordia University Chicago is a leader in providing that globalized environment as an integral part of education,” Gard said in a statement. “Our partnerships within China not only allow students from that great nation to benefit from American expertise, but also allow our domestic students to benefit from the insights and perspectives of international students. This small campus in River Forest will impact the future of our nation and the world.”

The partnership at Dalian comes as Concordia continues the partnership it started in 2013 at Hebei University of Economics and Business. Five faculty members teach eight-week courses in human resources management, and courses in marketing could start soon, Concordia officials said. Hebei is in Shijiazhuang, some 185 miles southwest of Beijing. 

Once Chinese students there finish the equivalent of an associate’s degree they can apply to Concordia to complete their coursework and earn a bachelor’s degree. As many as 19 students will be coming to River Forest this August. That number should at least double for August 2017 and could be as many as 100 in August 2018, Meyer said.

The majors at Dalian and Hebei were selected based on perceived needs in the areas served, market demand the needs of the cooperating Chinese partners along with what expertise Concordia could offer, university officials said. Many courses at Hebei and all courses in Dalian will be taught in English, Meyer said. 

Students who come from China, as is the case with other students from overseas, will receive support from the Center for International Student Services, which helps incoming students get acclimated to life in the United States, said Thomas Jandris, senior vice president at Concordia who oversees the center. 

Once they arrive, the university provides them as much support as possible, from helping them get their visas to dealing with housing issues. 

Concordia also requires all international students to take a seminar in higher education to help them acclimate to learning in a U.S. environment. That effort also will allow for more successful experiences of international students, Jandris said. 

“The normal mores and values and cultural expectations are different in many … countries. We have an obligation to help students understand the differences they can expect and help them manage them,” Jandris said. 

Investigating China as a partner began a number of years ago. Contacts with a number of Chicago residents with close ties to educational institutions in China introduced Concordia officials to universities that were eager to provide additional opportunities for Chinese students. The application process was extensive to get on the Chinese Ministry of Education’s approved list of universities.

John F. Johnson, Concordia’s former president, continued to encourage the opportunity. And the program continues to get full support from Gard, Meyer said. The international efforts on education so far have shown very positive results. 

“Our hope is to continue to have a positive impact in other parts of the world so we can come to learn and appreciate different cultures,” Meyer said. “Our hope is to have a steady flow of students from other countries who will come help us learn and meet their objectives.”

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