RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf signs MOU with Beijing Union University

Administrators from Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf and a delegation from Beijing Union University in China signed a Memorandum of Understanding at a ceremony Nov. 22, establishing a cultural and educational partnership between the two institutions.  

The Memorandum of Understanding will establish student and faculty exchange programs and short- and long-term teaching, learning, research, innovation, discovery and global outreach missions. The colleges also are exploring the feasibility of developing a center of excellence in deaf education with a focus on English language instruction, American Sign Language instruction, postsecondary preparation, access technology and related research.

Beijing Union University, established in 1985, is a comprehensive university attached to Beijing Municipality. Over the past 40 years, the university has become one of the largest universities in Beijing and focuses on undergraduate education while promoting coordinated development of postgraduate education, higher vocational education, continued education and international education. The Special Education College of Beijing Union University, established in 2000, is the first school offering inclusive education to disabled and non-disabled students in China.

Participating in the signing ceremony were Teng Xiangdong, professor and dean of the Special Education College at Beijing Union University; James Myers, associate provost, RIT Global Education; and Gerry Buckley, NTID president and RIT vice president and dean.

NTID has set up or reinvigorated partnerships with four universities in the past two years. In addition to 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; and University of Rwanda, Rwanda.

“Today’s agreement of cooperation between RIT/NTID and Beijing Union University marks a significant step forward in providing educational opportunities between our two great institutions,” said Buckley. “We look forward to working with the BUU delegates and developing collaborative coursework that will benefit deaf and hard-of-hearing students in China and the U.S.”