The Office of International Programs has been busy initiating, developing, and finalizing several partnerships with educational institutions in China and Taiwan. One such initiative in Shanghai, China, supported in part by campus resources and by the Yew Chung Education Foundation, allows for a College representative to work and live there for the fiscal year 2012-13. "The College of Education will be able to extend its reach to alumni, funding, partners, and potential students," said Ronald Jacobs, professor of human resource development and director of international programs.

"In turn, the establishment of an office in China will dramatically expand opportunities for global engagement among COE undergraduate and graduate students. Having a physical presence in Asia, specifically Shanghai, China, can create new opportunities for Illinois students and faculty to go to China for study, research, and student teaching."

In addition, the College of Education initiated a memorandum of understanding this spring between the University of Illinois and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, the leading research institution on education in Taiwan.

Joining Jacobs at the signing ceremony at the NTNU campus were: Director and Professor Chin Chin Tseng, Graduate Institute of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language; Dean and Professor Chao-Yang Pan, College of International Studies and Education for Overseas Chinese; Director and Professor Chih-Chien Steven Lai, Graduate Institute of International Human Resource Development; and Deputy Dean and Professor Iping Liang, Office of International Affairs, NTNU.

"The College looks forward to a productive engagement with NTNU," said Jacobs, with visiting faculty and students expected to arrive next year.

In March, Jacobs visited the Yew Chung Community College Hong Kong, where he met with staff to discuss the planned 2+2 program in early childhood education. He presented the staff with some traditional gifts from that time of year in the U.S. – Girl Scout cookies. Jacobs delighted in presenting them to: Teddy So, president of the Yew Chung Community College; Sultana Turpurkovska-Poposka, College Secretary and Acting Registrar; and Gary Morrison, assistant director of the Yew Chung Foundation.