China Program Center at UMass Boston Receives Fulbright-Hays Grant

University College at the University of Massachusetts Boston has announced that its China Program Center is the recipient of a Fulbright-Hays grant of more than $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Education.  The grant will be used to take 15 secondary school teachers on a six-week study trip to China.

“We are honored to be the recipient of this prestigious grant,” says Philip DiSalvio, dean of University College. 

The grant, totaling $101,877, will fund the trip for New England teachers to study at Shaanxi Normal University in Xi’an, China. These teachers will focus on Chinese culture and language while networking, collecting authentic teaching materials, and writing curriculum projects.

“Chinese language has become a critical need language, evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of K-16 students who are learning Mandarin in the United States,” says Wanli Hu, director of the China Program Center at University College and special assistant to the provost for China initiatives at UMass Boston. “The shortage of qualified Chinese language teachers has been a bottleneck for Mandarin teaching.  This Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Short Term Program will help these 15 chosen educators to become lead teachers in Chinese culture and language in the New England area and to study in an ideal place for American teachers to learn Chinese culture.”

Shaanxi Normal University is a collaborative partner of UMass Boston. The city of Xi’an is considered a cradle of Chinese civilization and served as a capital city for 13 dynasties – or more than 1,000 years.   The Silk Road also started from Xi’an two thousand years ago and it is known worldwide as the site of the terracotta warriors and horse museum. 

After completing their study abroad in China, the selected teachers will share their knowledge and experience of China in different professional conferences and seminars in New England.

About University College
One of nine colleges at the University of Massachusetts Boston, University College specializes in education that fits the diverse needs of adult learners with   undergraduate and graduate degrees and professional development programs.

About UMass Boston
With a growing reputation for innovative research addressing complex issues, the University of Massachusetts Boston, metropolitan Boston’s only public university, offers its diverse student population both an intimate learning environment and the rich experience of a great American city. UMass Boston’s eight colleges and graduate schools serve nearly 16,000 students while engaging local, national, and international constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service activities. To learn more about UMass Boston, visit www.umb.edu.