RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf enters partnership with Changchun University

Administrators from Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf and a delegation from Changchun University in China signed a Memorandum of Understanding at a ceremony May 6 establishing a cultural and educational partnership between the two institutions.  

The Memorandum of Understanding will establish student and faculty exchange programs in the art and design fields. The colleges also are exploring a joint degree program in graphic design and 3D graphic technology. RIT/NTID’s Center for International Educational Outreach (IEO) is hosting the delegation.

Changchun University was one of RIT/NTID’s former Postsecondary Education Network-International partners. After the PEN-International program ended, Changchun University administrators reached out to re-engage in a new partnership. Separately, IEO will be hosting a contingent of Changchun students in August for NTID’s New Signers Program through the college’s American Sign Language and Interpreting Education program.

The Changchun delegation at the signing ceremony included the Party Secretary, Special Education College Director and Professor of Foreign Languages, along with Ellen Granberg, RIT provost; Gerry Buckley, NTID president; Jim Myers, associate provost; Gary Behm, associate dean; and IEO staff.

NTID has set up or reinvigorated partnerships with four universities in the last two years, with a fifth in progress. Including PEN-International and Pre-College Education Network (P-CEN) Program partners, NTID has more than 14 institution partners throughout the world, including partnerships with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Philippines; Tianjin University of Technology, China; Changchun University, China; University of Rwanda, Rwanda; and Beijing Union University, China (in progress).

“These partnerships are instrumental in giving our students global enrichment experiences that will make them even more marketable upon graduation,” said Buckley. “In addition, these partnerships have led to several new research projects and grants in accessibility, sign language, deaf education and STEM education with our faculty and students. Moreover, we have been able to attract a number of talented international students to study at RIT/NTID, which further enhances the diversity of our student body and broadens everyone’s perspectives.”