On the morning of June 24, 2024, the Sino-American CHEPD 1+2+1 Program member University Cooperation Meeting was held on the 5th floor conference hall of the library at the Dongfeng Road Campus of Guangdong University of Technology. The meeting was organized by the China International Education Exchange Center and the Guangdong Education International Exchange Association, with Guangdong University of Technology serving as the host institution. Mr. Jinjun Li, the Director of Exchange and Cooperation Department of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Education, Mr. Pengfei Zhao, President of the Guangdong Education International Exchange Association, Prof. Chengming Du, Vice President of Guangdong University of Technology, Mr. Jing Zhang, Director of China Center for International Education Exchange, and Ms. Sufei Li, Deputy Director of American Association of State Colleges and Universities, attended the meeting. Representatives from 10 American “121” member universities and 26 Chinese universities participated in this event. Professor Shuze Tang, the Dean of International School, attended the meeting as an invited representative of Guangzhou Huali College. The “121” Program Coordinator, Ms. Weiwei Lai, and the staff for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Pan Hu, accompanied the attendance.

Representatives of Guangzhou Huali College Dean Shuze Tang and delegation were invited to participate in Sino-American University Cooperation Meeting

Professor Shuze Tang attended the opening ceremony of the Sino-American University Cooperation Meeting in 2024

At the meeting, representatives from seven "121" member universities on the American side introduced the geographical locations, academic programs, tuition fees, cost-effectiveness, and other unique features of their universities to attract the potential students.

 Director of the Troy University program, Silvia Li (left), and Deputy Director Austin Deal (right) making an introduction

Director of International Student Services at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Ms. Amy Nusser, and Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville,Terry Yan making an introduction

Director of the International Affairs Center at Columbus State University, Professor Eric Spears making an introduction

Vice President for International Affairs at St. Cloud State University, Professor Shahzad Ahmad providing an introduction

 Vice President for International Affairs at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Professor Thomas Tyner making an introduction

During the exchange and communication session, Dean Shuze Tang engaged in in-depth discussions with Sufei Li, Deputy Director of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Jing Zhang, Director of the China Center for International Education Exchange, Qin Wu, Deputy Director of the China Center for International Education Exchange, Hua Wang, Operations Director and representatives from American universities, including George Mason University and Eastern Washington University, with which our school has signed cooperation agreements. Dean Tang also had friendly exchanges with representatives from Troy University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and St. Cloud State University concerning professional alignment, mutual recognition of credits, and student exchange programs.

Discussion between Sufei Li, Deputy Director of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), and Professor Shuze Tang

Director of China Center for international Education Exchange , Jing Zhang (third from the right), Deputy Director Qin Wu (second from the right), and Operations Director ,Hua Wang (first from the left), presented a certificate of membership to Guangzhou Huili College from the Association of International Educational Exchange. Professor Shuze Tang accepted the certificate on behalf of the Guangzhou Huali College

Discussion between Professor Krista Uhrig, Director of the Admissions Program at George Mason University and Professor Shuze Tang

Discussion between Professor David Bowman, Dean of the STEM College at Eastern Washington University and Professor Shuze Tang

Discussion between Professor Soail Agboatwala (left), Senior Vice President of Troy University, Austin Deal, Deputy Director of the China Program, and Professor Shuze Tang

Discussion between Professor Terry Yan, Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Professor Shuze Tang

Discussion between Professor Michele Mum, Associate Provost at St. Cloud State University and Professor Shuze Tang

The meeting serves as a key forum for collaboration between Chinese and American universities, providing an essential platform for deepening exchange and cooperation in higher education between the two nations. Through face-to-face deliberations and interactions, representatives from all parties have not only strengthened their mutual understanding but have also laid a solid foundation for future collaborative efforts.

A group photo of representatives from Sino-American universities participating in the "121" program in 2024

As of December 2023, 44 American state universities have been approved to join the "Sino-American CHEPD 1+2+1 Program" , and 133 Chinese universities have been approved to join the same project, including 131 public universities and 2 private universities, with Guangzhou Huali College being one of the two private colleges. From now on, students from Huali College have the opportunity to apply for any major at any of the 44 public state universities in the United States that have joined this program.

This year, five students from Guangzhou Huali College have been admitted to George Mason University, the number one public state university in the United States, through the "Sino-American CHEPD 1+2+1 Program", and will study in the U.S. starting from September, 2024. It is reported that in 2024, the university admitted 50 students from the "121" Program, which includes 133 member universities in China. Among these, five students were from Guangzhou Huali College, representing 10% of the total.

Introduction to the American Universities Participating in the “Sino-American CHEPD 1+2+1 Program”:

1.       George Mason University

George Mason University (GMU or Mason), established in 1972, is located in the heart of the technology corridor in Northern Virginia, near Washington, D.C., and was originally an affiliate college of the University of Virginia (founded in 1954). The university is best known for its economics program, with other important disciplines including public policy, psychology, engineering, computer science, law, journalism, and music. The school boasts two Nobel laureates in economics (James M. Buchanan and Vernon L. Smith) and three Pulitzer Prize winners in journalism (Roger Wilkins, for his coverage of the Watergate scandal; Martin Sherwin, for his biography of Robert Oppenheimer; Steven Pearlstein, for his insightful analysis of complex economic situations). The student body consists of approximately 30,000 individuals. In the QS American University Rankings, GMU is ranked 89th (2021). The university ranks 33rd for Industrial/Manufacturing/Systems Engineering graduate programs (2016), 33rd for Public Policy, 36th for Best Nursing Schools, 42nd for Best Law Schools, 80th for Undergraduate Business, 81st for Civil Engineering graduate programs, and 83rd for Computer Engineering graduate programs in the United States.

Official Website: https://www.gmu.edu

2.       Eastern Washington University

Eastern Washington University (EWU), founded in 1882, is located in Cheney, Washington, a 20-minute drive from Spokane, a major city in Washington State, USA. The university is structured into four colleges, offering over 100 undergraduate majors, including Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronic Media and Film, Multimedia Design, Game Design, 3D Animation Design, Applied Technology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Business Administration, Human Resource Management, Health Services Management, Marketing, Recreation and Leisure Management, Child Studies, Communication Studies, Computer Science, Architectural Technology, Education, Developmental Psychology, Criminal Justice, Dental Hygiene, Earth Sciences, Economic Education, Teaching English, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, History, Anthropology, International Affairs, Journalism, Manufacturing Technology, and Mathematics, among others. There are over 50 graduate programs. There are 10,746 students enrolled, with 5% international students, and a student-faculty ratio of 22:1. It is ranked 19th among the best public universities in the West by U.S. NEWS.

Official Website: https://www.ewu.edu

3.       Troy University

Troy University (TROY), established in 1887, is located in Troy, Alabama, USA, with a campus covering 234 hectares (equivalent to 3,510 acres). Originally a teacher's college, it has evolved into an outstanding public university. It comprises five colleges: the Montgomery College of Business in Alabama, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Communication and Fine Arts, and the College of Health and Public Affairs. The university offers 59 undergraduate majors, 35 master's degree programs, and 2 doctoral programs. It has produced four astronauts, over 40 generals, and provides degree programs to 12 states in the U.S. and more than 50 military bases around the world. The student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1, with small class sizes.

TROY has been recognized as the "Best Value and Safest University in the Southeast" by The Princeton Review for seven consecutive years. It was ranked as the best public university in Alabama by Forbes magazine in 2010, coming in at 16th place. In 2018, U.S. News & World Report ranked TROY 34th among public universities in the South. Troy University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). It is ranked 207th among American universities by the Washington Monthly.

Official Website: https://www.troy.edu

4.       The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), founded in 1887, is located in Pembroke, North Carolina, USA. It is a 1.5-hour drive from the state capital, Raleigh, and the Carolina beaches, and approximately a 2-hour drive from Charlotte, one of the second-largest banking centers in the U.S. The university is part of the University of North Carolina System, which consists of 17 campuses (a renowned university system in the United States that shares resources such as library materials). With a student population of 6,500 from 17 countries and regions, the student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1. The university offers 41 undergraduate majors and 18 graduate majors, including Business Administration (Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, International Trade, and Entrepreneurship and Business Administration), Accounting (accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, AACSB), Computer Science, English, Environmental Science, Information Technology, Mass Communication, and Mathematics, among others. UNCP has been rated as one of the best universities in the Southeast by The Princeton Review for four consecutive years. It was ranked 91st in the "Best Universities in the South 2016-2017" list by U.S. News & World Report.

Official Website: https://www.uncp.edu

5.       Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE), established in 1957, is located in Edwardsville, the county seat of Madison County in the southwestern part of Illinois, USA, just a 25-minute drive from St. Louis, the eighteenth largest metropolitan area in Missouri. The campus covers an area of 2,660 acres (approximately 16,150 acres). The university currently has 13,850 students, including 11,229 undergraduates and 2,621 graduate students, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1. It comprises the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, the College of Business, the School of Education and Health Professions, the School of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, and the School of Pharmacy, offering over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 70 graduate majors. All majors are fully accredited by 35 agencies, including ABET accreditation for engineering and computer science, and AACSB accreditation for business and accounting programs. In 2014, SIUE was ranked 42nd among Midwestern universities by U.S. News & World Report.

Official Website: https://www.siue.edu

6.       Columbus State University

Columbus State University, established in 1958, is located in Columbus, Georgia. The university has a total enrollment of 11,000 students, with approximately 7,600 undergraduates and an international student population accounting for 0.8% of the total. The student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1. The university offers a range of academic programs leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. It provides over 90 majors, including Accounting, Art, Art Education, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, English, English Language and Literature, Exercise Science, Finance, French, Geology, Health and Physical Education, Health Sciences, History, Information Technology, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Mathematics, Music, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and more. Notably, majors such as Art, Education, Business, and Nursing are among the university's strongest programs. Columbus State University is rated as one of the top universities in the southern United States by U.S. News.

Official Website: https://www.columbusstate.edu

7.       St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University (SCSU), established in 1869, is located in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The university has a student population of 16,326, with 14,499 being undergraduates. It comprises several colleges including the College of Education, the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Science and Engineering, and the School of Computer Science, offering degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.

Official Website: https://www.stcloudstate.edu

Written by Weiwei Lai

Photo by Pan Hu

Revised by SM Hashmi

Approved by Shuze Tang