EWU president forwards international initiatives in Japan and China

Eastern Washington University President Rodolfo Arévalo has wrapped up a 10-day tour to promote Eastern's international partnerships and initiatives in Japan and China. During his trip, the chancellors and presidents at five EWU partner universities and the mayor of Nishinomiya, Spokane's Sister City, warmly welcomed him.

Arévalo's tour began in Japan with visits to Asia University and Mukogawa Women's University, both of which have long-standing relationships with EWU.

Eastern has hosted the Asia University America Program since a pilot program in 1989. Mukogawa Women's University and its Spokane-based Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute have long partnered with Eastern for the Fosseen-Kusaka Distinguished Professorship Faculty Exchange Program and other educational collaborations.

In meetings, the presidents discussed initiating innovative short-term study abroad programs for Eastern students and short-term programs at Eastern for their faculty members.

Traveling on to China, Arévalo visited three Sino-American 1+2+1 Dual Degree Program partner universities. This program allows students to attend college one year at home, then two at Eastern, followed by one last year at home. The three partner universities have shown a strong commitment to this program over the years, entering into agreements for dual degrees in several different majors with lead faculty at Eastern. These partner universities have expressed interest building upon the successful 1+2+1 program. Overall, Eastern has 20 such partnerships with universities in China.

At each campus, Arévalo, his counterpart and the top-level administrators and academicians discussed ways of developing faculty exchanges for research and teaching, graduate student referrals and dual degrees as well as new undergraduate dual degree articulations for majors in geology, electrical engineering, computer science, teaching English as a second language and other fields.

Arévalo's visit strengthened international relationships and existing inter-institutional agreements and inspired the development of new international programs that will further add to the growing diversity of Eastern.