Top U.S., Chinese University Administrators To Compare Notes at June 1 Meeting in Seattle
By: Office of Media Relations | April 19, 2005
RICHARDSON, Texas (April 19, 2005) – Hundreds of top administrators from scores of universities in the People’s Republic of China and the United States will compare notes on the state of higher education in both countries at the first China–U.S. University Presidents Forum, to be held on June 1 in Seattle.
The theme of the meeting, organized by the China Education Association for International Exchange, is “Building Vibrant Higher Education in a Changing World.” The day-long event will begin at 9 a.m. in the Eliza Anderson Amphitheater in the Grand Hyatt Seattle Hotel.
“The course of history in the 21st century will be greatly influenced by whether the U.S. and China are able to build a relationship that is economically sound and is based on mutual respect,” said Dr. Da Hsuan Feng, vice president of research and graduate education at The University of Texas at Dallas and co-chair of the event. “Higher education institutions in both nations will certainly play an important role in this relationship building, and forums for the exchange of ideas, such as the one in Seattle, will be an integral part of the process.”
Among the high-profile educators scheduled to speak at the forum are Dr. David W. Leebron, president of Rice University, Dr. James F. Baker, president of Clemson University, and Dr. David E. Roselle, president of the University of Delaware. Also delivering remarks will be Nobel laureate Dr. Alan G. MacDiarmid, who holds the James Von Ehr Chair in Science and Technology at U. T. Dallas and also serves as honorary director of a nanoscience institute that bears his name at Jilin University in China.
Several senior officials from the governments of both nations also are scheduled to address the gathering – including Zhou Wenzhong, the Chinese ambassador to the U.S., and U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon, vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and senior member of the House Science Committee.
“The purpose of the forum is to create a conducive platform to explore opportunities and seek solutions to challenges faced by the higher education community in our ever-changing world,” said Liu Chuansheng, minister counselor for education in the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. “We aim to increase interactions and seek synergistic and sustainable collaborations so that universities from both nations can contribute to the betterment of mankind in the 21 st Century.”
According to organizers, more than 200 senior administrators representing 70 Chinese universities and more than 50 of their American counterparts from dozens of institutions will participate in the Seattle forum.
Joining U. T. Dallas’ Feng as forum co-chair is Dr. Feng Jun, a vice president of Renmin University in China.
About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls more than 14,000 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s web site at www.utdallas.edu.
Media Contact:
Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, 972-883-2155, newscenter@utdallas.edu, or the Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, newscenter@utdallas.edu.
