Maynooth University enjoys a number of active partnerships with key universities in China, including student exchange partnerships with East China Normal University, Beihang University, Beijing Normal University, Shanghai University and Sichuan University. Ten Maynooth University students are currently studying abroad at these institutions for the 2018/2019 academic year and it is anticipated that this number will grow to approximately twenty for the 2019/2020 academic year. In addition, MU has enjoyed a ten-year partnership in the areas of Electronic Engineering and Chemistry with Changzhou University in Jiangsu Province. There are currently forty-four students from CZU studying at Maynooth this academic year. Maynooth University’s Department of Electronic Engineering recently hosted two academic colleagues from CZU’s Engineering department.
Our collaboration with China grew further this year with the establishment of a joint International College of Engineering with Fuzhou University in Fujian Province. Fuzhou is one of China’s key national universities and is part of the Chinese Government’s ‘211’ programme which supports the development of top universities in China.
The International College will be based on the Fuzhou campus and will initially offer four Maynooth University undergraduate programmes in the fields of Computer Science and Engineering. The Chinese Ministry of Education granted approval for this venture in July 2018 and the first intake of students will be in September 2019. Graduates of these programmes will receive both Maynooth University and Fuzhou University degrees. Maynooth University is the second Irish institution to open a joint college in China. It is a significant step for the University and represents an important expansion in our relationship with China.