A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step…

Posted on March 31, 2008 by David Gray

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
-Attributed to Lao Tzu, 6th Century Chinese philosopher

UMassOnline China Partnership

[CCEA Secretary General Yan and UMassOnline CEO David Gray sign Partnership Agreement, March 31, 2008]

And so begins the partnership journey of UMassOnline with the China Continuing Education Association (CCEA) and the Chinese Education and Research Network (CERNET) to deliver online programs and courses of interest to the Chinese people. Earlier today, I signed an “Agreement of Cooperation” on behalf of the University of Massachusetts that commits us to working closely with CCEA and CERNET over the next five years to bring the best that UMassOnline has to offer to the Chinese marketplace. One might ask, “Why is this so significant?” Well, for starters, it hasn’t been done before. To this point, China’s Ministry of Education does not recognize online credits (or degrees) earned from foreign institutions.

As China’s economy continues to expand at a dramatic pace (GDP grew at a reported rate of 11.4% in 2007 according to this article in the International Herald Tribune), her demand for an increasingly educated workforce grows correspondingly. Though China continues to build “on ground” capacity in her colleges and universities, educational and government leaders recognize that online learning needs to be part of the solution.

The University of Massachusetts has developed a comprehensive and proactive strategy to engage China (to learn more about these efforts, see the UMass “China Project” web site). UMassOnline has a clear and important role to play in the University’s China strategy. China has been slow to embrace the e-learning movement. As has been experienced elsewhere, there is frequently skepticism about the ability of the online medium to support learning experiences of the highest quality.

A significant aspect of the UMassOnline/CCEA/CERNET partnership is working toward the offering of the first online degree programs from a foreign institution that will garner the recognition of the Ministry of Education. During the early years of this partnership, UMassOnline will be granted exclusivity among U.S. institutions in developing and offering approved online programs. This is both an awesome honor and a serious responsibility.

My special thanks to University of Massachusetts President Jack M. Wilson, the founding CEO of UMass Online, for encouraging us all to think globally at the University and for leading the way.

In the coming weeks and months, you can expect to see more on this blog site about our emergent online learning partnership with China. There are many interesting academic, technological, and business/operational aspects to be worked through. We will share our experiences and, as always, invite your thoughts and feedback.

Comments

3 Responses to “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step…”

Becky Gray on March 31st, 2008 4:02 pm

Congratulations, Dad and UMass! This is agreement is yet another confirmation that the world is getting flatter.

-Becky
UMass ‘07 Alum
Mark Gillard on April 1st, 2008 11:14 am

This is fantastic news for UMass and CCEA! Congratulations Mr. Gray. Yet another reason for me to be a proud student (and soon to be graduate!) of UMassOnline.

Mark
e-Learning Pundit | Friday news roundup - 04/04/2008 on April 4th, 2008 8:28 am

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