What began as an English language training partnership 30 years ago has grown into an opportunity for students in Northern China’s industrial centre to harness advanced skills in three top industries.

This week, delegates from the Shenyang Institute of Engineering (SIE) are visiting Red River College to continue growing that relationship, and to tour the Exchange District Campus and the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute. The delegates were greeted at the Notre Dame Campus Monday morning by RRC President Paul Vogt.

The relationship between the two institutions began in 1987, when RRC and SIE exchanged staff and faculty to offer English language training in Northern China.

Since 2010, students in Shenyang have been able to enrol in joint degree programs for Electrical Engineering Technology, Power Engineering Technology, and Hospitality and Tourism Management. These students have the option of completing the three-year programs entirely in Shenyang — with curriculum provided by RRC — or they can complete their first two years of study in China and travel to Winnipeg for the final year.

The partnership has grown steadily since its early days, with more than 1,000 Chinese students now enrolled for the 2017/2018 academic year.

“It’s connections like this that put Red River College, and Winnipeg, on the map as a hub for the engineering and hospitality industries,” says Vogt. “The hands-on learning students receive is crucial to their success and we’re happy to be able share that with our partners in Shenyang.”

One of China’s primary industrial centres (with a population of 8.1 million), Shenyang is home to some of the country’s leading firms in the aerospace, heavy machinery, defense, automotive, electronics and software sectors. Shenyang is also a transportation hub for Northeast China, and the largest political, economic and cultural centre of the region.

“This 30-year joint partnership records a generational dedication to international education,” says Prof. Song Huanbin, Chancellor of the Shenyang Institute of Engineering (shown, to left of scroll). “Two years ago we made the decision to extend this partnership for another 10 years, and last year our application received the approval from the Ministry of Education (in China). We are confident in expanding and upgrading the cooperation to a new level, which creates a strong model for China-Canada joint partnerships.”

While in Winnipeg, the delegates will also visit Assiniboine Park and receive a tour of the city’s cultural landmarks. The visit will culminate with a 30th anniversary dinner at Jane’s, featuring a menu prepared by RRC students.

The College currently maintains international partnerships with institutions in China, Japan and India. These partnerships allow highly qualified international students to fill available seats in full-time, ESL and continuing education programs, and bring opportunities to academic departments for faculty exchanges, and sharing of academic expertise and practices.