The University administration is considering a proposal to establish its first office abroad in China.

China holds significance for the University because of its rapidly developing higher education and research sectors, said Wolfgang F. Schlör, interim associate provost for international affairs and interim director of international programs and studies. The large number of Chinese students and alumni working in China adds to the importance of the relationship.

“Today we have more international students from China than any other country,” said Associate Chancellor Pradeep Khanna in an email. “We also have a large number of faculty and researchers who are from China.”

Chancellor Phyllis Wise has been attending international collaboration conferences throughout the past year, including a visit to Zhejiang University in China for the 2012 Symposium on Building of World-Class Universities in October and Chicago Global University Summit in Chicago in April.

“The chancellor … has been very active in connecting with leaders from the strongest Chinese universities,” Schlör said.

While the University proposal involves the construction of a physical facility, the purpose of the office would not be to teach courses and offer degrees as with University branches abroad, Schlör said. Instead, the University seeks to develop a small office to “facilitate connections with academic and government institutions, corporations and alumni,” Schlör said.

Schlör said an office in China would enable the exchange of student talent and equipment and laboratory access previously exclusive to either party. The partnership will also provide more opportunities for research funding, he said.

The overall increase in resources between both parties would “enhance interdisciplinary research, and lead to the creation of knowledge and technologies that might not happen otherwise,” Khanna said in the email.

Khanna said there is a greater demand for collaborative efforts in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The fields of agriculture and media may also gain from the University’s efforts toward further developing international collaboration, Schlör said.

For University students, an international office could mean greater access to professional experiences, including internships, jobs and study-abroad opportunities.

“The kind of networking that can be done out of this office will make it easier to identify internship opportunities with companies and agencies in China,” Schlör said.

University President Robert Easter said in an email that these types of opportunities will help students better prepare for a global work environment.

“In view of the importance of that nation (China) in world business, trade and culture, it’s important that we both sustain and strengthen our relationship for the benefit of all of our students,” Easter said in the email.

Wise said in an email that the University has collaborated with major Chinese universities over the past decade, and its relationship with China will be further strengthened by the creation of such an office.

“We hope to expand our research and academic partnerships, explore new funding opportunities, create new internship and study abroad opportunities and, of course, to connect with our thousands of alumni in China,” she said.

Max can be reached at [email protected].