The flexibility provided to the students at the college, which is embodied by the full execution of a credit system, has made it possible for all the overseas exchange programs or study tours to be initiated by students themselves, according to Shi Shengwei, deputy head of Wenzheng College.
"Students can obtain their degree over a timescale of the minimum three years to the maximum of eight years as long as they gain all the required credits. This means they will be able to take a gap year to study overseas. Some of the overseas study programs can also be translated into credits," she says.
According to Tang Fengzhen, director of the school's international cooperation and exchange office, Wenzheng College started a program five years ago that offered both bachelor's degrees issued by the Chinese college and the University of Idaho. Under the program, a student can study at Wenzheng College for three years and complete another year of overseas study. Of the first 24 students enrolled for this program with the University of Idaho, 14 are now pursuing further studies in the US and Australia.
In this era of mobile phones and access to the internet, it seems much easier for young people to get to learn more about the world. But as Tang stresses, the experience gained in an overseas environment is invaluable and unique.
"We talk about economic globalization all the time, the effect of which will be a feature of all the students' future careers. If the students can have some basic understanding of this in advance, they will feel more confident in work, for example, when negotiating with future clients," she says.
