NMIT forms arts education partnership with Chinese Uni'

NMIT Media Release 23 May 2013

NMIT forms arts education partnership with Chinese University in Nelson’s Sister City

Nelson’s strong reputation in the arts and its sister city links with Huangshi have led to a partnership between Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) and a Chinese university to deliver arts and media education.

From later this year, NMIT will partner with Hubei Polytechnic University (HBPU) in Nelson’s sister city of Huangshi in the Hubei Province, to enable students studying visual communications in China to graduate with a double degree, by completing three years at HBPU followed by one year at NMIT. Students will start enrolling in China in the second half of 2013, with the first students expected in Nelson from 2017. HBPU will teach NMIT’s Bachelor of Arts and Media programme, with some courses being taught in China by NMIT tutors.

The partnership came about following a mayoral delegation to China led by Nelson Mayor Aldo Miccio in 2012. NMIT’s Chief Executive Tony Gray who was part of the delegation, said he met with officials from HBPU, and arts and media was identified as an area where the two organisations could work together.

“This is great news for NMIT and also for our region. While we don’t know yet how many students will eventually be coming to NMIT, the numbers could be significant as HBPU has a student population of 16,000. We see this as a long-term partnership that will enable us to strengthen our ties with Huangshi. It’s not about us teaching the Chinese the Western way of doing things - it’s very much a two-way partnership where we will be building relationships and learning from them as well,” he said.

NMIT has two other joint venture partnerships in China - with Hunan University of Technology and Zhejiang University of Water Resource and Electric Power, but this will be the first Chinese education partnership delivering arts and media education, the first to offer students a double degree and the first with Nelson’s sister city.

Bill Findlater, Chief Executive of the Nelson Economic Development Agency said the partnership was significant. “It not only takes another step in cementing the long-term relationship we have with the people of Huangshi, but it does it in a way that will see both regions benefit. Participants in this programme will gain a greater understanding of each other’s culture and business practices,” he said.

Nelson Mayor Aldo Miccio said “It was great to lead the delegation from Nelson and be able to help facilitate this outcome with NMIT, through the delegation meetings with HBPU. It also highlights the benefits of a sister city relationship because myself and the Mayor of Huangshi were able to formally write supporting the agreement between NMIT and HBPU.”

A spokesperson for HBPU, Elsa Guo, Director of International Exchanges and Cooperation said HBPU had chosen to partner with NMIT due to NMIT’s excellence in educational performance, Nelson’s reputation in arts and design and the sister city relationship between Huangshi and Nelson.

“The joint programme will provide the students in HBPU with opportunity to receive the high quality tertiary education of New Zealand without leaving China. It will also prepare the students to pursue their further bachelor or masters degree study in New Zealand.

“In recent years, the arts and media industry in China has been growing very fast, providing the graduates of arts and media with opportunities to move into a variety of careers within the visual arts/media industries.

“As one of the programmes between the sister cities of Huangshi and Nelson, I firmly believe that this partnership will promote the development of education and cultural exchanges, trade and economic benefits between the two cities,” she said.

ENDS

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