Representatives from Holland College's Educational Joint Venture partner institutions in China paid a whirlwind visit to the Island recently for two days of meetings and a celebratory banquet to mark the 10th anniversary of the delivery of Holland College programs in China.

Approximately 30 representatives from Chengdu Electromechanical College, Zhenjiang College, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Hainan College of Vocation and Technique, Xuchang University, and Anyang Normal University joined Holland College learning managers who have taught in China and college administrators to review the Educational Joint Venture agreements and to discuss ways to build upon them.

The joint venture agreements have seen incredible growth of Holland College programs in China, from an initial offering in Computer Information Systems in three Chinese partner institutions for 76 students in 2001 to almost 1,500 students in six partner institutions this year enrolled in seven programs. Students in China can now enrol in Computer Information Systems, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Marketing and Advertising Management, Business Administration, Golf Club Management, Sport and Leisure Management and Early Childhood Care and Education programs.

The curriculum for the programs is the same curriculum delivered in Prince Edward Island, but students in China first have a preparatory year of English language training. Learning managers from Holland College travel to China to work with Chinese instructors, who in turn travel to the Island to familiarize themselves with the curriculum and the method of program delivery. To date, more than 60 Chinese instructors have been trained at Holland College since 2001.

Additionally, since 2007, a Holland College curriculum consultant team has conducted annual program reviews in China to monitor and ensure the quality of the programs. These reviews enable all of the partners to learn from each other and determine areas that need to be refined, modified, or improved. Holland College also organizes Best Practice Forums in China to create networking opportunities for the EJV administrators and instructors, and to participate in workshops delivered by a Holland College facilitator and instructors.

Jolene Chan, Manager of Holland College's Asia Pacific International Office, sees the opportunities for growth to be promising.

"The future development of the EJV programs is very optimistic. Recently, Chairman Hu Jintao made a public announcement emphasizing the importance for the Chinese higher education institutions to increase cooperation and partnership with foreign education institutions in order to foster the development of skills and to gain understanding of international affairs to cope with the rapidly changing global challenges. The EJV delivery model and its hand-on training has been highly effective for students and staff in our partner colleges, resulting in EJV graduates being highly sought after by employers. This success demonstrates that the EJV model can meet the new demands resulting from Chinese educational reform in the current international environment. There is good reason to believe that our EJV partnership with the Chinese colleges will continue to grow and will have an even more successful future," she said.

In this picture: (L-R) Educational Joint Venture partners Mr. Li Xueshan, Anyang University; Mr. Zhang Jianjun, Xuchang University; Mr. Pan Tianhua, Zhenjiang College; Mr. Zhu Jinshu, Chengdu Electromechanical College; Holland College President Brian McMillan; Mr. Wang Weiyi, Changzhou Institute Of Technology; and Mr. Ma Naixiang, Hainan College of Vocation and Technique celebrate the 10th anniversary of the EJV, which delivers Holland College programs in Chinese post-secondary institutions. Photo courtesy of The Guardian.