GMIT signs deal with top Chinese university

GALWAY-MAYO INSTITUTE of Technology (GMIT) has signed a “strategic partnership” agreement with Nanchang University, ranked as…

GALWAY-MAYO INSTITUTE of Technology (GMIT) has signed a “strategic partnership” agreement with Nanchang University, ranked as one of the top 100 universities in China.

Minister for Education and Science Batt O’Keeffe and Higher Education Authority chief executive Tom Boland witnessed the agreement’s confirmation in Galway by GMIT president Marion Coy and Nanchang University president Prof Zhou Wenbin.

The partnership is “a new model, involving business and education”, Ms Coy said at the signing. Nanchang University in Jiangxi province has a student population of 90,000 on five campuses covering 8,000 hectares. Jiangxi province has a population of 43 million and has been earmarked for “accelerated development” by the Chinese government. The two institutions have agreed joint programmes in accountancy, hospitality and tourism, nursing, business and computing.

Lorna Siggins

Lorna Siggins

Lorna Siggins is the former western and marine correspondent of The Irish Times