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April 4, 2013

Pitt, Sichuan U form engineering institute

Pitt and Sichuan University in China will establish a joint engineering program to educate undergraduate students and foster collaborative research. The Sichuan University Pittsburgh Institute expects to enroll its first class in fall 2014.

Sichuan University will initially invest nearly $40 million to support the construction and equipping of a new 100,000-square-foot building to house the institute on its campus.

Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Patricia E. Beeson said: “Because the universities are well matched in their overall academic strength and global commitments, the impact of this new partnership will extend beyond the field of engineering and beyond the U.S. and China, making it global in scope and presenting exciting possibilities for the future.”

“This partnership will enable our students to be much better prepared for practicing their profession globally,” said Gerald D. Holder, U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering and faculty member in the Swanson school. “The large number of American companies that do work in China or sell products there will benefit from the intercultural education that the joint institute provides. And the American and Chinese students who participate in this program will be in great demand by employers. I hope the program will open many doors for future opportunities with Sichuan University.”

With emphases on advanced sustainable manufacturing and educational innovation, the institute initially will offer three undergraduate degree programs: industrial engineering; mechanical engineering, and materials science and engineering. Students in the institute will be recruited from the United States, China and possibly other countries, with the first class in fall 2014 expected to comprise 100 students. Within seven years, enrollment is projected to grow to a final total of 1,600.

Students will spend the first two years of the program immersed in the Pitt curriculum in China with the option of transferring to Pitt’s main campus during their third year. Students who transfer to Pitt directly after their sophomore year will earn a bachelor’s degree from both Sichuan University and Pitt, and all students will receive an institute certificate upon completion of their studies.

Faculty from around the world will be recruited to teach at the institute, with 20 in 2014 and an expected total of 80 by 2018. All faculty will undergo training to ensure that they will provide appropriate course content in an active learning format.

Pitt faculty interested in taking a semester-long or year-long sabbatical to teach in the institute will be considered. All Pitt-curriculum-based courses will be taught in English. Sichuan University will cover not only the institute’s operating costs, but also faculty start-up funds.

Members from both universities comprise the project team responsible for spearheading this partnership. Led by Holder, key members from Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering are Bopaya Bidanda, chair and Ernest E. Roth Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering; Minking Chyu, chair and Leighton and Mary Orr Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science; Larry Shuman, Distinguished Service Professor and senior associate dean for academic affairs, and Qing-Ming Wang, director of the mechanical engineering graduate program and faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.

Provost Beeson played an instrumental role in moving the partnership forward. In addition, Lawrence Feick, Pitt’s senior director of international programs, director of the University Center for International Studies, acting co-director of the Asian Studies Center and faculty member in business administration in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, has played and will continue to play a significant role in coordinating various entities within Pitt and the connection between Pitt and Sichuan University.

The Sichuan team members are Guangxian Li, executive vice president; Shijing Yan, vice president of international affairs; Ping Guan, deputy director of the international office, and Liying Yao, director of major projects in the international office.


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