University Expands Education Outreach in China

UMT Officials Give Lectures, Mark Completion of First Chinese Programs on Recent Trip

Students taking notes during a lecture in China.

ARLINGTON, VA, SEPTEMBER 21, 2000 - UMT Academic Dean J. Davidson Frame and President Yanping Chen recently returned from a lengthy visit to China that featured extensive lectures and marked the completion of UMT's first two academic programs in China.

During the trip, they held discussions with local officials on cooperative education programs and gave lectures in project management to about 600 business and government executives and managers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. They were accompanied by Thomas Tarnow, vice president for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, who gave several well-received lectures.

"It was a very successful trip," Dr. Frame said. "The response from the students was very positive, and we've made excellent progress in promoting UMT and project management education in China."

In Shanghai, the group was the guests of honor at a dinner reception hosted by Vice Mayor Chen Liangyu. Mr. Chen praised UMT's efforts to bring project management to Shanghai, one of Asia's largest cities. The visit was covered by the Wenhui Bao newspaper.

A visit to Shenzhen generated front-page coverage in two local newspapers, the Shenzhen Economic Daily and Shenzhen Special Zone Daily. Drs. Chen and Frame met with Vice Mayor Li Decheng, who hosted a dinner reception at which he attributed the popularity of project management in Shenzhen to UMT's efforts.

They also celebrated the completion by 40 Shenzhen students of the Executive Certificate Program in Project Management, a cooperative program with the Shenzhen High Tech Zone. Due to UMT's special education contribution to the city, the Shenzhen High Tech Zone invited UMT to affiliate with its campus.

In Guangzhou, 76 students also completed a Master of Science in Management program through UMT's distance education program. The program was conducted in cooperation with the Guangdong Expert Bureau and Guangdong Marketing Association.

Forty of the MS degree students will travel to the United States to receive their diplomas at an October 14 ceremony to be held in Arlington, VA.

"We are thrilled to see these programs completed," Dr. Chen said. "They were excellent students. This is a culmination of several years of hard work by UMT and its Chinese partners."

UMT is working to establish education and training programs in other Chinese cities. The Chinese government is eager to improve project management and other management disciplines throughout the country as part of its economic reforms.

"This marks another success in the internationalization of UMT's education offerings," Dr. Frame said. "We anticipate rapid growth in both our domestic and international programs over the coming year."