April 28, 2009

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University of Mobile Developing Partnership with China’s Linyi Normal University 

The University of Mobile is developing a partnership with China’s Linyi Normal University which will bring Chinese students to the UM campus, UM President Dr. Mark Foley said Tuesday. 

Foley presented a report on the developing Chinese market to the UM Board of Trustees during the board’s private semi-annual meeting Tuesday. Also during the meeting, trustees approved the 2009-2010 budget which includes an increase in scholarship funds. The board agreed to continue to review tuition pricing options for the 2009-2010 academic year and make a decision regarding any tuition changes before the fiscal year begins July 1. 

“We have agreed with Linyi Normal University that this sister school relationship will happen. How best to make it happen will now be determined by faculty and staff in each academic program,” Foley said. 

The partnership, titled UM Connect, includes opportunities for Chinese students to study three years at Linyi and one year at the UM campus and earn undergraduate dual degrees in the areas of business administration, accounting, communication, English and literature, computer information sciences or history. A master of business administration will be available with Chinese students completing one-third of their courses online and two-thirds in residence at UM. 

Foley said there will be opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, including UM professors teaching courses at Linyi. He said visiting scholars from China may teach courses on Chinese language and culture on the UM campus, and will work with UM professors to develop courses Chinese students will take at Linyi as part of the UM Connect program. 

“With the 3+1 undergraduate program, it will be three years before we see a significant enrollment of undergraduate students from China on our campus. With the MBA program, we could have graduate students enrolled in the distance learning component as soon as this fall,” Foley said. “We expect Linyi students to enroll this fall in China in the undergraduate UM Connect tracks.”  

Additionally, UM faculty and staff will serve as consultants to Linyi in areas of best practices, institutional effectiveness and accreditation standards. 

Foley said degrees awarded by UM will be in accordance with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools standards and UM policies. For example, part of the university’s degree requirements include a course on Christian Worldview and another on the Mission and Message of Jesus or on Christian Theology. Foley said the academic courses may be refined to provide additional information for Chinese students who may not have any experience with or understanding of Christianity. 

Foley noted that globalization and Mobile’s location as a port city may provide unique career opportunities for both Chinese and American MBA students at UM. 

Foley said the process of developing the Chinese market for the university began with his trip to Linyi with a consultant in December 2008. In March 2009 he returned with an academic leadership team comprised of Dr. Audrey Eubanks, vice president for academic affairs; Dr. Don Berry, registrar; and Dr. Lonnie Burnett, associate professor of history and president of the UM Faculty Council. 

Linyi Normal University is a state-run university with approximately 37,000 full-time students and 1,575 faculty located in Linyi City, Shandong Province, China. The university has established cooperative relationships with 28 higher education institutions throughout the world. For more information on Linyi Normal University, visit the website at http://en.lytu.edu.cn and for information on the UM Connect program, visit www.umobile.edu/umconnect. 

In other action, the board approved an operating budget of $21.8 million for the 2009-2010 fiscal year which begins July 1. The operating budget is up slightly from the current $20.9 million budget. 

Foley said the budget that trustees approved may be adjusted at a later time, depending on revenue. 

“We anticipate another year of careful management while providing high quality experiences to our students,” Foley said. “We remain a very tightly run system and will continue to be fiscally conservative as the economy heals.” 

Foley said the new budget includes more than $7.6 million in institutional aid to students, an increase of $458,500 over the current budget. 

“We have a great concern for our students and their families in this economic climate and wish to do all that we can to make the university experience affordable for them. Consequently, we will be investing $7.6 million of university funds to assist our students toward attaining their goals. We know it is needed,” Foley said. 

Foley added, “Historically, the University of Mobile has cost far less to attend than other similar private universities while providing quality higher education. We have been in the midst of a multi-year process to raise our tuition to levels comparable with sister schools in our region, while remaining an excellent value.  

“While the need to continue to generate revenues to maintain the level of quality we have attained remains acute, we are also mindful of the need to remain an exceptional value to our students and have decided to continue to review pricing and financial aid decisions,” Foley said. 

Last modified : Tuesday, April 28, 2009 3:56 PM
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