WIT franchises computer degree course to Chinese university
The institute has just sealed a contract with Nanjing University of Information, Science and Technology (NUIST) to franchise the BSc honours course and it is hoped that this will spur Chinese information and communications technology (ICT) companies to locate their European hubs in the south-east of Ireland.
The first year of the four-year degree programme has seen 200 Chinese students enrolling at NUIST, with this due to rise to 800 when it reaches full capacity.
Four Chinese professors are visiting WIT for a semester to familiarise themselves with the student-oriented philosophy of the institute.
NUIST has 40,000 full-time students and the contract with WIT is intended to be part of a broader agreement to further co-operate in the undergraduate, postgraduate and research domains.
According to WIT director Professor Kieran R Byrne, academics from NUIST were impressed by the practical focus of the course, the industrial placement semester and the fact that 100% of graduates gain employment in the ICT industry.
“Nanjing is a city of 10 million people and is the ancient capital of China,” he said.
It has been selected as a hub for ICT industries and is going through a transition from traditional manufacturing to R&D.
Negotiations for the contract were led by school of science head Paul Barry and department of computing, maths and physics head Dr Micheál Ó Heigheartaigh.
Modules on the course are being partly delivered by video-conference technology from WIT and computer experts from the institute will go to Nanjing to deliver some of the more advanced modules.
“WIT has pioneered the use in Ireland of video- conference technology for education. Many of the multimedia innovations developed there are now being applied in a practical way in the delivery of educational programmes to international partners,” said Prof Byrne.
The hope is that NUIST students will undertake postgraduate study at WIT before returning to China to take up senior management positions. “It is hoped that the bonds of friendship that will be created will encourage Chinese multinational software companies to use the region as the basis for their European operations.”
