|
MELBOURNE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The University of Tasmania in Australia has this week welcomed welcome 21 Chinese students who will take part in a two-year marine and Antarctic science course, as part of an innovative university collaboration.
Students from the highly regarded Ocean University of China (OUC) in Qingdao have travelled to Australia to begin the course at the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS).
Researchers and scientists from IMAS aim to improve the understanding of the ocean climate, the Southern Ocean and Antarctic environments, as well as its resources and impact on the global climate system.
The China-Tasmania study relationship has been ongoing for a few years, with IMAS staff most recently having travelled to the Chinese University in mid-2015, helping to teach an initial intake of 48 Chinese students, who have the option of completing their four-year course in Tasmania.
The students who complete the course will receive a Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science with Honours (Physical Oceanography) from the University of Tasmania as well as a bachelor degree from OUC.
IMAS Executive Director Professor Richard Coleman said the partnership with OUC confirmed the innovative and quality curriculum of marine and Antarctic science that was being taught at the University of Tasmania.
"We are delighted to welcome to Tasmania the first of what we expect will be many cohorts of Chinese students from OUC as part of the new 2+2 Program," Coleman said in a University of Tasmania media release on Tuesday.
"Over the next two years they will benefit from IMAS's world-class teaching in marine and Antarctic science while experiencing life in Tasmania.
"There are obvious synergies between IMAS and OUC's teaching and research programs and our collaboration reflects the strong international reputation that IMAS has in its key areas of focus."
Coleman said the collaboration would be a valuable boost for Tasmania's education ties with international universities in the future.
"With more than 45,000 students, Ocean University of China is a major centre for oceanography and fisheries science in China and has taught 70 per cent of the country's PhD graduates in those disciplines," he said.
"Coming from China's premier teaching institution for physical oceanography, these students are among the country's top students in this discipline.
"We expect student intakes for the course to increase significantly in future years and look forward to welcoming a second cohort of OUC students in second-semester 2017."
