The "South China Normal University International Cooperative Education and Research Center" was jointly established by the International Business College (IBC) and the American University Alliance. It is a university-level research unit and was successfully unveiled at IBC on April 21.

The purpose of this research center is to promote the direct cooperation and exchanging activities between American universities and Chinese universities and middle schools, and will work closely with American University International Education Alliance (hereinafter referred to as "University Alliance") in areas of teacher exchange and articulation programs, student exchange programs, cooperative research, and joint education programs. At present, the units of University Alliance include Augsburg College, Augustana University, Benedictine College, Coe College, University of Evansville, Jamestown University, Ripon College, Saint Louis University, Trine University, Westminster College and many other universities in the United States.

In this opening ceremony, Prof. Wu Jianli, Dean of IBC first introduced the background of the research center, and then jointly unveiled it with Wu Jian, the Vice President of South China Normal University (SCNU); Wu Cicheng, Deputy District Chief of Nanhai, Foshan City; Zhou Liuyu, Director of Exchange and Cooperation Office, Department of Education of Guangdong Province; Tan Weihong, Vice Director from the Office of International Cooperation, SCNU; Representatives of the American University Alliance Mr. Donn Grinager, Ms. Anne Faucett; and Xie Changqing, Director of American University Alliance China Office.

In the meantime, Professor Barbara Fennell, Dean of the Confucius Institute at the UK University of Aberdeen; famous scholars as Dan Sloan and Patrick King, experts from U.S. Department of State English Language Program; domestic scholars as researcher Zhou Mansheng, and also the deputy director of the Advisory Committee of the National Center for Education Development Research of the Ministry of Education; representatives of relevant departments and colleges of SCNU, peer colleges and universities, and middle and high schools also participated in the ceremony.

Date: 2016-05-03