Asia Pacific Rim Development Program

In the 21st century, a global economy is a dominant feature, and the key to successful economic growth in each nation is collaboration in education.

With more than 25 years of academic exchanges with China and Japan, UNMC sought to expand these partnerships. In 2004, former Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns led a delegation of more than 70 members for a trade mission to China. During this mission, under the leadership of UNMC Vice Chancellors Thomas Rosenquist and Don Leuenberger, UNMC signed Memorandums of Understanding with two prestigious Chinese institutions, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM) and the Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (GUCAS).

These new partnerships established significant collaboration in research and education, facilitating an exchange of students and faculty members between these universities and UNMC. For this outreach effort, the Asia Pacific Rim Development Program (APRDP) was established in 2005. This new initiative has been strongly supported by UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., as well as college deans and other key members of the medical center administration.

As a result, a further agreement has been struck between UNMC and another top Chinese university, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center (XJTHSC), during a trade mission to China led by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman in September of 2007. With all the success that the memorandums have achieved, the APRDP will utilize them as a model for collaboration in other areas.