A new exchange program between five universities hailed as “innovative” will allow some engineering undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to study abroad in Europe while working toward a dual degree.
The program established partnerships between UW-SP; North Carolina State University; Munich University of Applied Sciences in Munich, Germany; TAMK University of Applied Sciences in Tampere, Finland; and Jyvaskyla University of Applied Sciences in Jyvaskyla, Finland. The European universities each have paper science programs but offer different specialties.
“This is a very new concept in education,” said Bobbi Kubish, recruitment and international programs coordinator at UW-SP’s College of Natural Resources as well as one of the coordinators for the exchange program.
Kubish is working closely on the exchange program with Gerry Ring, a paper science and engineering professor and department chair at UW-SP.
Some details about the program are still being worked out, including how they plan to manage credit transfers and align course compatibility between the universities, but it is still scheduled to launch in fall 2009.
Ring said he is pleased with the high degree of interest expressed by both American and European students.
“It’s complicated; it’s interesting. I think it’s going to be very exciting for our students to participate in this program,” Kubish said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that this is a good fit.”
For many, studying abroad is either not an option or undesirable. With exchange programs, however, students can enter a global forum at home.
Students who are unable to have direct exposure to foreign cultures and languages abroad will have the opportunity to work alongside the exchange students who can bring new ideas into the classroom, according to Kubish.
Kubish added although it may not be the best approach, this is one way that all students can participate in a multicultural dialogue.
Similarly, UW-Madison recently signed an exchange agreement with Tsinghua University in Beijing. Though the agreement does not involve dual degrees for students or a concentration in any specific area of study, it will similarly provide an opportunity for those involved to gain a global perspective, whether at home or abroad.
Ben Nuckels, spokesperson for Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, said he believes the exchange agreement was a step in the right direction.
“There is perhaps no more important bilateral relationship in the world than that between the U.S.A. and China. The student exchange agreement signed by Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, UW-Madison and Tsinghua University will better prepare Wisconsin students to compete in today’s global economy with firsthand knowledge of Chinese culture and China’s emerging economy,” Nuckels added.
