Posted 19 March 2013
Beijing-Dublin International College officially opened by Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn
The Minister for Education & Skills, Ruairi Quinn TD officially opened the Beijing-Dublin International College (BDIC), a joint venture established by University College Dublin (UCD) and Beijing University of Technology (BJUT).
Minister Quinn said, “I would like to congratulate UCD and BJUT for your great vision and determination in realising this joint venture.
The establishment of Beijing-Dublin International College is a concrete example of UCD’s internationalisation agenda, and indeed of the wider interconnectedness between Ireland’s higher education system and leading education institutions globally.
Pictured at the opening (l-r): Prof. Guo Guansheng, President of BJUT;
H.E. Declan Kelleher, Ambassador of Ireland to the PRC;
Mr. Hao Ping, Vice Minister of Ministry of Education of China;
Mr. Ruairi Quinn T.D., Minister for Education and Skills of Ireland;
Mr. Guo Zhongwen, Vice-Mayor of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality;
Dr. Hugh Brady, President of UCD
Particularly strong links are being forged here in China and an important focus of my visit here this week is to encourage those partnerships and identify new opportunities for collaboration. “
The President of UCD, Dr Hugh Brady joined the President of BJUT, Guo Guangsheng, for the official opening.
“The rapid speed with which we have progressed from an outline plan to an official opening reflects the enthusiastic support we received from both the Irish Government and the Chinese authorities.” President Brady said. “In 2011 Minister Quinn and the then Mayor of Beijing, Guo Jinlong, endorsed our plans for a joint international college. In February 2012, the then Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping and Taoiseach Enda Kenny witnessed the historic contact signing between UCD and BJUT and the Chinese Ministry of Education gave its approval in July 2012.”
Under the partnership agreement between UCD and BJUT, the new international college will offer dual degrees across a range of subject areas, beginning with software engineering, the internet of things engineering, statistics and finance. The longer term plan is to develop a full international university, which will award its own degrees.
The first group of students were enrolled to BDIC in September 2012 and have already spent time in Dublin as part of their studies. This cohort of students are studying “The Internet of Things Engineering”, a popular degree in China that combines electronic and communications engineering with sensor networks and technologies, together with data analysis and systems engineering. Speaking at the opening, the Provost of BDIC, Professor David Fitzpatrick said:
“There is enormous opportunity for cross fertilization between our own engineering expertise and this emerging area of study in China. I think The Internet of Things Engineering degree programme has great development opportunities in Ireland as well as in China.”
The focus of academic activity at BDIC will be on enterprise development with degrees covering science, engineering and technology, business and management, and creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
“We are very conscious of the opportunities for students from both countries and indeed expect to attract students from other countries who are interested in learning in this international model. We bring considerable experience in quality teaching alongside research and innovation expertise.
In return, we will gain deeper understanding of the region which will inform our own curriculum, especially in emerging and developing economies, and business systems in Asia.
I am particularly pleased that during the course of the development of the curriculum for the initial four degree areas, our BJUT partners asked for the inclusion of modules in Irish culture. This has been built in to all of the degrees and is delivered by academics from the UCD School of Archaeology.” President Brady said.(Produced by UCD University Relations)
