Chinese Delegates visited Lipscomb Sept. 6 to discuss possible exchange program
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Delegates from Guangxi Normal University in Guilin, China visited Lipscomb University Tuesday, Sept. 6, to discuss the possibility of entering into a partnership for future exchange programs.
This preliminary visit was set to explore many options including a student exchange program, a "Lipscomb in China" program, Lipscomb graduates going there to teach English and the addition of a Mandarin Chinese major with students spending a portion of their time studying in Guilin.
"We are honored to have had this group visiting our campus," said Earl Lavender, director of missions and associate professor of Bible at Lipscomb. "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to enter into formal negotiations and to explore the possibility of a partnership with an academically strong university in China."
Lavender has coordinated and accompanied students to China to teach English, with ten Lipscomb graduates currently teaching there. Three years ago while in China, Lavender visited the Guangxi campus and met unofficially with university representatives to discuss the possibility of an exchange program. Lipscomb invited the delegates to visit while they are in the United States to explore the idea further. The Guangxi delegation's visit next week is the first official meeting to discuss the exchange program.
Guangxi Normal University is a fully accredited university that offers many basic and applied disciplines of liberal arts and natural sciences in teacher education programs and other educational programs, according to the website gxnu.edu.cn/ENGLISH/.
Since the 1980s, it has made constant efforts in promoting international academic exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture and education, having established intercollegiate partnerships with 92 institutions of higher learning and organizations in the United States, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Australia, Great Britain, Russia, Indonesia, New Zealand, France, Germany, and also with colleges and universities in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions.
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