Celebrating 20 Years
International College Beijing (ICB)
May 12, 2014ENGLISH BROCHURE | CHINESE BROCHURE
In this auspicious year of 2014, the Chinese Year of the Horse, the University of Colorado Denver and China Agricultural University are celebrating the successful 20-year partnership of International College Beijing (ICB). ICB began in 1994, a time when joint educational programs between countries were not the norm. Through persistence and patience – and the fortunate timing of a chance dinner meeting – visionary educators Fu Zetian and Meng Fanxi were able to bring to life the inherent potential of this promising U.S./China partnership program.
A trial program began with a dozen students, followed by formal program approval. It resulted in ICB becoming the first joint program of its kind to be approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education.
Serving as a model to other universities worldwide, the ICB program offers economics, communication, and dual degrees to Chinese students; these allow for study on both the Denver and Beijing campuses. American students may also study in Beijing, fostering a truly global classroom for future world leaders.
Founder and Dean Meng Fanxi explained, “The reason why we cooperate is because we believe the curriculum designed by the United States at CU Denver is very good.”
Today, ICB has more than 1,000 alumni. ICB students, who earn grade point averages of 3.5, have continued on to graduate schools at Boston University, George Washington University, Leigh University, London School of Economics, Rutgers University, and the University of Colorado Denver.
The Office of International Affairs and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Denver created a $5,000 graduate fellowship in 2012 that is awarded to a different outstanding ICB student or alumnus/a every year who continues into graduate studies at CU Denver. Through a variety of other scholarships, almost $400,000 in funding was awarded to students in Beijing and Denver in 2013-2014.
Celebratory events for the ICB 20th Anniversary are taking place on both the Denver campus (May) and Beijing (October) as graduates look forward to a rewarding future.
Alumna Fan Zhang explained, “I like to regard Denver as my second home. I really want to experience the communication education China, but also in the United States, and become a global communicator.”
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