updated: 10/6/2011 9:21:48 AM

Ivy Tech Faculty Heading to China

InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report

Two faculty members from Ivy Tech Community College will travel to China Friday to teach electronics, compare curricula and programs and discuss business practices. They will visit Wuxi, Columbus’ sister city, to meet with executives at Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) and faculty at the Professional College of Science and Technology. The pair will tour Cummins’ factory to review Chinese business practices and to clarify any work force concerns.

October 6, 2011
News Release

COLUMBUS — Kim Haza, program chair of industrial technology and advanced manufacturing at Ivy Tech Community College’s Columbus campus, and Jim Silberstein, assistant professor in the Gayle and Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship in the School of Business at Ivy Tech’s Bloomington campus, will travel to Wuxi, China, Columbus’ sister city, to teach electronics, compare curricula and programs, and discuss business practices with faculty in the Professional College of Science and Technology in Wuxi.

The trip, to occur from October 7 to 30, is an outgrowth of the agreement signed in November of 2010 by officials of Ivy Tech Community College and the Wuxi Professional College of Science and Technology to become sister colleges. The trip furthers one of Ivy Tech’s primary strategic plan goals – to ensure that Indiana’s citizens, workforce, and businesses are globally competitive. Benefits of the agreement to both colleges include faculty and student exchanges and study abroad opportunities. Following the visit this fall to Wuxi, a return visit during the upcoming spring semester by a Wuxi faculty member to Ivy Tech-Columbus/Franklin will occur, and this faculty member will teach Ivy Tech’s students and discuss curricular matters with faculty.

Haza will teach electronics and participate in several panel discussions, focusing on the differences between the United States and China in a college education, especially in the field of electronics; the professional electronics course in the U.S.; and American electronics laboratories. Silberstein will lecture on entrepreneurship as well as marketing and finance for small business.

Wuxi, China, is 80 miles from Shanghai on Tai Lake and has a population of over four million; it is one of China’s top 50 cities, nicknamed “Little Shanghai” for its growing economy. Cummins Inc. has key production bases in Wuxi. In addition to their other responsibilities at the college, Haza and Silberstein will tour the Cummins factory to review Chinese business practices and to clarify any workforce concerns.

Sue Smith, Corporate Executive for Advanced Manufacturing in the Office of the President of Ivy Tech Community College, commented: “This trip has as its primary goal to build upon existing relationships in Wuxi and to establish trust and understanding in order to facilitate future workforce training and faculty and student exchanges.”

Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public post-secondary institution and the nation’s largest singly-accredited statewide community college system with more than 200,000 students enrolled annually. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

Source: Ivy Tech Community College