WELLINGTON, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's Waikato University announced Thursday that it is the country's first university approved to teach and award degrees in China.
Waikato University, based in the North Island city of Hamilton, would establish in September next year a joint institute with Zhejiang University City College (ZUCC) to allow students to complete their degree studies in China and receive a dual degree from both universities.
Waikato vice-chancellor Professor Neil Quigley said the move complemented other joint programs it had been running in China for the past 20 years.
Institute approvals went through a rigorous process, including vetting by the Provincial Ministry of Education and the Chinese Ministry of Education in Beijing, Quigley said in a statement.
"We're the first university in New Zealand to achieve institute status in China, so we're excited to be able to offer full degree programs there," he said.
The first intake of students would be able to study for degrees in finance, media and creative technologies, and computer graphic design.
Waikato originally partnered with ZUCC, an independent college of Zhejiang University, in 2002.
