Collaborating With Chinese Universities On Engineering And Technology Education: Potentials And Issues From A Curriculum Perspective

The globalization of our economy has stimulated international collaborations on collegiate education. As a predominant manufacturing base and an emerging mass market, China has become an important base for engineering and technology (E &T) in the past decade. It is apparent that collaboration with Chinese universities on E &T education will help further our understandings of the needs and the developing trends for engineering and technology professionals. This article explores the potentials and issues of collaborating with Chinese universities for E&T education from a curriculum perspective. By analyzing the TAC of ABET accredited ECET curriculum at Western Carolina University and that from a representative Chinese university, East China University of Science and Technology, the authors found that there are great potentials to collaborate with Chinese universities in E &T education. Though issues exist during the process of establishing such collaborations, they can be resolved through a thorough understanding of Chinese engineering curricula and careful planning.