In higher education, partnerships between universities across borders have become an integral aspect of promoting cross-cultural understanding and academic excellence. The Maseeh College International Programs Office (MCIPO) provides high-quality educational experiences that equip students at Portland State University (PSU) and overseas with the skills to work in a globalized world while enhancing our school’s profile domestically and internationally.
The Maseeh College has partnerships around the world, many established by our international faculty based on personal relationships. However, the most active and sustainable partnerships have been built on sponsored programs, such as the Intel Vietnam Scholars program and our current Chinese joint educational programs.
Our current Chinese joint education program partners are Changchun University of Technology (CCUT), Jilin Jianzhu University (JLJU), and Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NJUPT), where we offer dual degree programs in electrical and computer engineering, computer science, and civil engineering. Linnea Spitzer, Education Specialist with International Programs at Maseeh College, offers an inside look into the remarkable educational collaborations managed by the Office of International Programs at Portland State University (PSU) with educational institutions in China.
Maseeh’s newest collaboration with NJUPT, called the Portland Institute Nanjing (PIN), offers many opportunities for students and faculty, while drawing on a time-tested model for international partnerships. Undergraduate students have the option of participating in a 3+1 or 2+2 program, where they spend their first years at their home institution, transfer to PSU for their final year(s) of study, and ultimately receive dual degrees from both institutions. Graduate students in the 1+1+1 MS program spend their first year in Nanjing and then transfer to PSU to complete a coursework MS in signal processing or machine learning track before returning home to complete their theses. Students in these programs benefit from a deep and integrated collaboration between NJUPT and PSU. Until this year, PSU had been teaching live remote classes in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Philosophy, Math, and English language. After China’s reopening post-COVID, these classes are now being taught in person by an international cohort of resident faculty in Nanjing. This return to in-person instruction will increase international faculty collaboration, strengthen relationships with our partners, and promote student engagement.
I think the students who do end up coming are going to be really interested in participating in all the hands-on learning that happens at PSU and getting to learn about teamwork and getting to learn about just that more active learning style beyond studying and passing tests.
Linnea Spitzer, Maseeh College Education Specialist and Senior Instructor, is the lead for the communication and language part of the graduate program and the coordinator for PIN Teaching and Learning Center. She helps facilitate graduate student transfers, hires tutors, class assistants, and graders for the general education courses, arrange remote English tutoring or conversation partners, and provides pivotal cultural and local information to new transfer students.
Spitzer emphasizes the transformative potential of this exchange, especially considering that these students are emerging from an era of COVID-induced isolation, and are learning to navigate a world with increasing cultural distance between China and the United States. The aim of this partnership is to bridge that gap, to provide students with international exposure, and to expose them to the dynamic learning opportunities offered here. Transferring students from China are not the only beneficiaries of these partnerships. PSU students also benefit from the lasting international connections they establish with the Chinese students in their classes. Especially for those who may not be able to travel abroad, building such connections prepares students for participation in international working groups by building understanding across cultures and language backgrounds.
One notable challenge in the endeavor is the employment prospects for Chinese students in the United States. Visa regulations restrict them from working in certain export-restricted companies, and securing internships or employment in the U.S. requires careful planning and cultivation of connections. However, PSU is committed to supporting these students and providing them with opportunities for growth and success.
I think that the cultural distance between the US and China has only grown in the past five to seven years. This is a great opportunity to bring people together.
Though PSU's earlier programs with Chinese institutions were also successful models of international collaboration, the PIN program has the potential to be a unique model for student preparation and enrollment growth. At steady state, the program will be serving over 1000 students in Nanjing and Portland and generating over $5 million in annual revenue for the university. With PSU's focus on sustainability and generating revenue, the program is thriving even with students choosing to complete their studies in China. As the program continues to evolve, PSU envisions future cohorts of Chinese students exploring the cultural diversity and academic rigor PSU has to offer. Beyond academic excellence, the program strives to forge lasting international friendships, transcending borders and cultural barriers, fostering mutual understanding, and creating a world where collaboration is fundamental to creating a brighter and more geographically inclusive future.