The University will work with a Beijing institution to shape educational reform#
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is working with a global partner to help shape the educational reform agenda in China.
UCLan has launched a joint research and development project with Beijing College of Finance and Commerce (BCFC) which aims to introduce British vocational Degree Apprenticeships and their curriculum standards into the Chinese higher education system.
The partnership between BCFC and UCLan aims to promote the exchange and experience sharing between the two universities in the development of curriculum standards, assessment schemes and grading standards, and strengthen the research and development cooperation on learning models including apprenticeships and work-oriented curriculum standards.
Paul Rowe, UCLan’s Director of International Partnerships, said: “UCLan is excited to be working on supporting the vocational agenda in this collaboration with BCFC.
“This programme aligns closely with UCLan’s mission to provide opportunities for all and to widen participation in higher education, an ethos I know that we share closely with BCFC.”
Dharma Kovvuri, Dean of UCLan’s Burnley Campus, is leading the project due to his considerable expertise and long-standing work in this area. He said: “We are excited to be part of this promising project but at the same time mindful of the very different education systems in our two countries. We look forward to a great journey of mutual learning.”
Li Yuhong, Vice Dean of BCFC, said: “This curriculum standard development project is an important measure for the in-depth cooperation between the two universities. It is hoped that through this cooperation, the internationalisation level of the School’s curriculum construction will be improved, and the academic progress of students will be promoted by improving the quality of the curriculum, so as to benefit students.”
In recent years the two institutions have worked closely on a number of educational initiatives. UCLan lecturers have visited Beijing for academic exchanges, 14 graduates have gone on to study undergraduate finance and business courses in Preston while last year the universities signed a memorandum of understanding on teaching and research cooperation.
