UNMC in China – New agreement, student forum highlight recent China activity

A new agreement between Tongji University and UNMC that will enhance medical education and research at both institutions was the highlight of a recent trip to China by UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., and other medical center leaders.

As part of the agreement:

• A joint medical education program will be established;
  
• Plans will be made for collaborations in the area of translational research;
  
• Students from the Shanghai-based university will now participate in the one-of-a-kind joint M.D./Ph.D. program that UNMC formed with other Chinese institutions; and
  
• UNMC faculty members will teach courses at Tongji University, including two who will teach there this fall.

UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., receives an honorary professorship from Tongji University President Pei Gang.

“These are exciting developments for both UNMC and Tongji University,” said Dr. Maurer, who was surprised with an honorary professorship from the Chinese institution following a lecture he presented to a full auditorium. “We will work together toward a common goal of meeting the health care needs of a global economy.”

Also during the trip, Dr. Maurer signed a second agreement with the China Scholarship Council (CSC). During the past four years, the agreement allowed UNMC to accept 44 graduate students from China. The newly signed agreement extends support to visiting scholars, junior faculty members and clinical faculty members as well as graduate students and postdocs.

Also on the trip, nine UNMC students and three faculty members participated in the 2010 International Student Research Forum in Beijing.

Chinese website UNMC launched a Chinese-language website through its Beijing office this fall to let Chinese students and institutions learn more about UNMC and assist the medical center in recruiting Chinese students through the CSC agreement.

The annual forum allows students to share research and culture with peers from around the world.

UNMC attendees were joined by colleagues from:

• The Institute of Medical Science at The University of Tokyo;
  
• The Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences;
  
• Griffith University (Australia);
  
• The University of Alberta (Canada);
  
• The University of Melbourne (Australia);
  
• The University of Auckland (New Zealand);
  
• Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences;
  
• The Danish Universities, Forschungsgemeinschaft (Denmark);
  
• The University of Helsinki (Finland); and
  
• Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).

Nine UNMC students were joined by colleagues from Australia, Finland, Denmark, China, Japan, Singapore and Finland at this year’s International Student Research Forum in Beijing.