Background on visit to China

It is too good an experience to not share with others, so I am writing to share what I’m learning while in China.

I’m part of a joint delegation from North Carolina to China. The delegation has three sub-groups: individuals from North Carolina State University, the Research Triangle Park and Wake County North Carolina, and EDUCAUSE. 

There was a clear plan for the groups to come together the synergy between universities, business, and economic development and the key role of information technology globalization, and making rapid advances possible. Each group had a goal of exploring relationships in their own respective communities universities, IT, and business. But many activities were joint, reflecting the key role the Triangle research universities (NC State University, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and Duke University) have in fostering business and economic development in North Carolina, particularly the Research Triangle Park area. As we are learning, the Research Triangle Park model as well as the university’s role in fostering innovation and economic development is replicated in China.

For example, our first visit was to Tsinghua University Science Park (TUSP), considered the “Silicon Valley of China. TUSP is a collaboration of Tsinghua University with a number of businesses, such as Google, Microsoft, Sun, NEC and others. Four hundred research and development facilities are housed there. Tsinghua University is considered the MIT of China. Another day we visited the Suzhou Industrial Park in which you also find the Suzhou Higher Education Town and the Suzhou Science Park. More that 10 Chinese universities are involved with Suzhou, on-site.

In some locations, joint agreements were signed; in others organizations explored mutual interests and established stronger relationships. And, at each stop we have all been pondering what we’ve learned means to our organizations and what form of collaboration will allow all parties to benefit.

Individuals from NC State involved in the trip include Chancellor James Oblinger; Dean of the Graduate School, Terri Lomax; Dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Dan Solomon; Dean of the College of Engineering, Louis Martin-Vega; Associate Provost for International Affairs, Bailian Li; and the Program Manager for International Affairs and Co-Director of the Confucius Institute, Sarah Cao.

The delegation from RTP includes the President of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, Charles Hayes (also a member of the University of North Carolina (system) Board of Governors; Jeff Stocks, President and CEO, Manpower; Jack Clayton, Regional President, Wachovia Bank; Rick Weddle, President and CEO of the Research Triangle Park; Tony Gurley, Chair, Wake County Board of Commissioners; Ron Wainright, Managing Director, RSM McGladdrey, Inc.; Bill Atkinson, President and CEO of Wake Medical Health and Hospitals; Zack Clayton, President, New Media Campaigns; Harvey Schmidt, President and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; John Atkins, Chairman and CEO of O’Brien/Atkins Associates, PA; Richard Barnhart, Partner, Schottenstein, Zox and Dunn, Co.; Steve Scott, President, Wake Technical Community College; and Doug Aitkin, Vice President, Global Strategy, World Trade Center of North Carolina.