Dr. Huarang Zhang, visiting faculty member from Fujian Normal University in China, presents President John Haeger with a banner at a new faculty reception last night. The banner has both school names displayed to recognize the partnership between both institutions.

Chinese students and scholars arrive at NAU

Two groups of students and scholars from the People's Republic of China have arrived at Northern Arizona University to begin fall semester studies.

"We couldn't be more excited to welcome these students and scholars to our university and our mountain campus," Provost Liz Grobsmith said. "This is a great opportunity for NAU and for our Chinese partners to learn more about each other's cultures."

The 17 undergraduate students from universities across China will study at NAU as part of an agreement NAU President John Haeger signed in February. The agreement, or 1-2-1 program, provides students who have successfully completed their first year of study at a participating university in China to study at NAU for two years, then return to China to complete their studies. The students would earn a degree from NAU and a degree from their home university.

The 13 professors from Fujian Normal University, representing a variety of disciplines, are coming to NAU under a training program to enhance their ability to teach in English when they return to China. NAU faculty members will mentor the Chinese scholars.

An NAU instructor, Burcak Barnhart, is teaching English at Fujian Normal University, while an instructor from from Fujian, Lisa Lin, is here to teach Chinese language and literature courses, which are being brought back into the curriculum.