Emerson’s Sister College from China Pays Visit

A delegation from Emerson’s sister college in Beijing, Communication University of China (CUC), visited campus this month to expand its relationship with Emerson and discuss opportunities for further collaboration and exchanges.

The delegation, which included President Su Zhiwu, arrived September 27. Delegates toured the campus and attended a dinner with Emerson officials, where they “discussed future collaborative opportunities,” according to Shujen Wang, Associate Professor of Visual and Media Arts (VMA) at Emerson.

“Our relationship with our sister college has been wonderful,” said Wang. “Both President Liebergott and former School of the Arts Dean Grafton Nunes visited Communication University of China several times, and has sent quite a few delegations to Emerson in the past few years.”

–Shujen Wang, Associate Professor of Visual and Media Arts (VMA) at Emerson

While on campus, President Su Zhiwu signed a student exchange agreement with President Liebergott. Beginning next spring, two Communication University of China students will study at Emerson for a semester. In Fall 2011, two Emerson students will go to Beijing.

During the delegation’s trip to the U.S., they visited seven other colleges, including Harvard, Columbia, University of Southern California, and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Besides President Su, the delegation included Li Zuowen, dean of the School of Foreign Language Studies; Tian Zhihui, associate dean of the School of Graduate Studies; Gao Xiaohong, dean of the School of TV and Journalism; Liu Jianbo, dean of the School of Information and Engineering; Bi Genhui, associate dean of the School of Cinematic and TV Arts; Zhao Jianfeng, director, Computing and Networking Center; and Liang Yan, deputy director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Department.

Emerson has hosted a Communication University of China visiting scholar, Xi Zhao, since Fall 2009. Zhao, a documentary filmmaker, was a television producer, journalist, and channel chief for 16 years before earning her doctorate in documentary from Communication University of China. She is now an assistant professor there and works as chief of the editorial room at Communication University of China Television. While at Emerson, Zhao has lectured to faculty and students in Visual and Media Arts (VMA) and done research on American documentary work, interviewing several world-renowned American documentary filmmakers for the top documentary journal in China.”

“I believe our relationship with Communication University of China is entering into a new and exciting chapter with our LA campus opening in three years,” said Wang. “There will be opportunities for more significant exchanges—both student and faculty—and collaboration.”

Photographed above from left to right: CUC President Su Zhiwu and Emerson College President Jacqueline Liebergott