ECC and Chinese School Form Partnership
Representatives from Edgecombe Community College, the Shaanxi Provincial Tourism School, and the Global Classroom Alliance met on ECC’s Tarboro campus recently to sign an agreement that will lead to exchange opportunities. From left are officials of the institutions: Shui Jing, Tony Rook, Viola Harris, Dr. Harry Starnes, Dr. Deborah Lamm, Zhang Junsheng, and Liu Jizhong. The translation of the symbols on the banner, which was presented to ECC by the Chinese delegation, is “Mutual benefit in morality and of academics.”
Edgecombe Community College and Shaanxi Provincial Tourism School have signed an agreement that provides for exchange opportunities for students.
The institutions are establishing a 2+2 program for that will enable graduates of the Shaanxi Provincial Tourism School to study for two years in the United States at Edgecombe Community College.
Shaanxi Provincial Tourism School is a vocational high school. Students in the 2+2 program will obtain vocational school degrees recognized by the Ministry of Education in China and the community college’s degree or certificate.
The 2+2 initiative will focus, among other possible programs, on cosmetic arts, computer technology, and certified nurse assistant programs at ECC.
Edgecombe Community College students will benefit from the exposure to other cultures in the classroom. “Global education is an important component of our mission,” ECC President Dr. Deborah Lamm explains. “We have an obligation to graduate students with a knowledge and awareness of a global workplace.”
The 2+2 program is an initiative of the Global Classroom Alliance (GCA), which was established in 2012. The GCA promotes collaborative teaching and learning opportunities for students and teachers of the U.S. and China.
During their recent visit, the delegation from China visited ECC’s Tarboro campus and toured the Cosmetic Arts Building, computer labs, the automotive systems area, and the Manufacturing Center.
Global partnerships at the college have expanded in recent years.
Dr. Lamm and several other administrators from the college visited China with a GCA delegation in the fall of 2012. A customized training program at Shanghai University led by ECC faculty resulted from that trip.
In 2013, a group of middle school and high school teachers and students from China visited the college.