EMU Today

YPSILANTI --  Eastern Michigan University and Beibu Gulf University in China have finalized a cooperative 15-year partnership that will begin with up to 300 students being enrolled in the new program annually for the first four years. Overall enrollment will eventually represent up to 1,200 students. Upon successful completion, a student will receive degrees from both Beibu Gulf University (BGU) and Eastern Michigan University (EMU).

The Beibu Gulf campus is in the city of Qinzhou, which is located in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. The Eastern Michigan-Beibu Gulf partnership represents the only international partnership of this nature in the region, which has a population of more than 50 million people.

Majors that will be offered at Beibu Gulf by the Eastern Michigan University GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology include:

• Mechanical Engineering Technology
• Computer Engineering Technology
• Product Design Engineering Technology
• Construction Management.

Students at Beibu Gulf pursuing these majors at EMU will be simultaneously pursuing majors at BGU in:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Vehicle Engineering
• Mechanical Design and Manufacturing and Automation
• Construction Project Costs
• Internet of Things Engineering

Mohamad Qatu, dean of Eastern’s GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology said, “This is great news to all of us at EMU. It is a result of the hard work and dedication of several faculty members and administrators at both institutions that began in 2018, and was then cemented by an initial agreement in 2019. The partnership will enhance our financial resources and advance the global presence, influence and reputation of the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology.”

Eastern professors will have the opportunity to teach classes on a limited basis at the institution in each of a student’s four years of study, but will primarily concentrate their teaching in a student’s fourth year as students at the cooperative institution become more advanced. Students in the program also can pursue their fourth year of studies at the Eastern Michigan University campus in Ypsilanti. 

Eastern Michigan University President James Smith said, “Agreements such as this broaden the University’s international footprint as well as establish mutual international understanding and cooperation with a key overseas partner. The plans developed by the two universities offer excellent career preparation for students, and create a new stream of students for EMU and the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology that further enhances Eastern’s global presence and the rich diversity of our  campus.”

The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents authorized President Smith to negotiate and execute final documents for the cooperative partnership in October 2019.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 16,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and, its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.

About GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology

The GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology provides world-class experiences in engineering, technology, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, drone technology, construction, aviation, and other areas of study in high-demand career fields. Students learn, study and create primarily in Roosevelt Hall and in Sill Hall, which recently underwent a dramatic $40 million renovation that includes several research labs; a computer engineering lab; an automotive lab; a robotics lab; a 3D printing lab; a cybersecurity server and lab; a flexible maker space; a virtual reality lab; and several other labs as well.

About Beibu Gulf University

Beibu Gulf University is a full-time general higher education school focusing on engineering, science, management, and multidisciplinary development. It is located in Qinzhou, a core port city in the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone. The campus covers an area of 2,070 acres. The school currently has 50 undergraduate majors, three master’s degree authorization points, and more than 17,000 full-time students. There are more than 1,200 faculty members, including more than 800 full-time teachers. BGU actively promotes the process of internationalization, and has established exchanges and cooperation relationships with more than 40 universities in more than 20 countries and regions, including Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.