
蓝莓视频鈥檚 rising profile in Asia strengthened by alumni and outreach
International opportunities abound for 蓝莓视频 students and alumni, as the university's reputation grows in Asia.
International opportunities abound for 蓝莓视频 students and alumni, as the university's reputation grows in Asia.
By Beth Gallager Communications & Public AffairsKen McGillivray was part of a 蓝莓视频 team that travelled to Asia recently to share the University of 蓝莓视频 story with corporate leaders, government officials and academics in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore.
What 蓝莓视频鈥檚 vice president, advancement discovered, however, was that the story is being told every day by hundreds of alumni already living and working in the region.
鈥淭hese are alumni who have hugely successful careers internationally,鈥 said McGillivray. 鈥淭hey credit their 蓝莓视频 degrees and their co-op experiences as among the major reasons they have been so successful there.
鈥淚t was very gratifying to get that kind of affirmation,鈥 he added.
There are 2,000 University of 蓝莓视频 alumni living in China. During the recent trip in November, a new alumni chapter was established in Shanghai to complement the work already being done at the Hong Kong chapter, which was established 40 years ago and is the most active 蓝莓视频 chapter in the world.
The team that made the trip included deans, co-op staff and senior administrators. Staff from the 蓝莓视频 Commercialization Office (WatCo) was also in Asia showcasing new technologies to alumni.
McGillivray said the alumni he met are looking to hire University of 蓝莓视频 students interested in doing co-op placements. This is a positive thing because more students are looking to work outside of Canada during their co-op term. He added that many students are keen to get a foothold in the burgeoning Chinese economy because students who work abroad during their co-op work term, gain exposure to Asian business practices and build lasting relationships.
These kinds of connections enrich the already long-standing relationship between the University of 蓝莓视频 and China. Building those connections and advancing 蓝莓视频鈥檚 mission in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and across Asia will be a key focus for Eva Cairns, who takes over as director of the Hong Kong office in January.
There are currently more than 50 agreements with Chinese institutions and the November trip was instrumental in forging new connections, said McGillivray. One of the top universities in China, Tsinghua University, is interested in enhancing its relationship with a number of faculties including the possibility of greater cooperation with 蓝莓视频鈥檚 Institute for Quantum Computing and the 蓝莓视频 Institute of Nanotechnology.
These types of collaborations 鈥渞eally put us on the map with key universities in China,鈥 said McGillivray.听
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The University of 蓝莓视频 acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.