UC and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Sign Agreement

University of Cincinnati President Santa J. Ono and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) President Timothy W. Tong initiated a new agreement for a unique dual enrollment program centered on the UC Master of Engineering (MEng) degree and the (PolyU) Master of Science (MSc) degree.

Under this new articulation agreement, students at each university may pursue UC’s MEng and PolyU’s MSc degrees concurrently and graduate with both degrees. Joining the presidents as signatories of the agreement were Teik C. Lim, dean of UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS); H.C. Man, dean of PolyU’s Faculty of Engineering FENG), and Raj Mehta, vice provost, UC International.

“Both universities wanted to provide this opportunity to students and both have worked diligently to make it a reality. I congratulate Dean Lim and Dean Man for the initiative and cooperation they have demonstrated in completing this exciting partnership. It capitalizes on the longstanding relationships among key faculty and administrators at CEAS and FENG and will be rewarding for students in both countries,” said UC President Santa J. Ono.

CEAS’s MEng degree and FENG’s MSc are each designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and experience in their fields of interests along with subjects covering new developments in the respective disciplines. Neither degree requires a thesis.

“Both UC and PolyU are pushing the academic frontiers forward with no traditional bounds. Our arrangement for top students to earn two master’s degrees after their study would appeal to those who aspire to go far in their careers, and we look forward to nurturing these bright students to become future leaders of our society,” PolyU President Prof. Tong added.

Typically, students originally registered at FENG will earn 15 or more credits from FENG before enrolling in UC courses for 15 or more credit hours. Likewise, students originally registered at UC will earn 15 or more credits from CEAS before enrolling in FENG courses for 15 or more credit hours. Upon satisfying degree requirements of the articulation agreement, students will be eligible to receive an MEng from UC and an MSc degree from PolyU.

CEAS students enrolled in the MEng program at CEAS and FENG students enrolled in the MSc program at FENG will have the opportunity to earn both an MSc degree from PolyU FENG and MEng degree from UC CEAS.

According to CEAS Dean Teik C. Lim, “The dual degree shows a level of commitment to the development of technical and professional skills that would impress any employer. Students – and potential employers – also benefit from the knowledge gained from faculty at two institutions. With the increasing globalization of the technical workforce, degrees that span institutions and provide an international perspective are particularly valuable.”

Students in the concurrent enrollment program will be charged PolyU tuition and fees while they are at FENG. When they register for subjects offered by CEAS, they will pay out-of-state tuition and fees while they are at UC. While registered as full-time students at CEAS, FENG students will be eligible for the same scholarships as traditional Master of Engineering students at CEAS.

This initial agreement will be effective for a period of five years. Development of this program is anticipated to facilitate further collaborations between PolyU and UC. Program coordinators are Eugene Rutz and Julie Muenchen at UC and S.L. Ho at PolyU.

“PolyU is recognized as a dedicated partner of business, industry and the community. I believe our partnership with UC will continue to go from strength to strength, and we both are making contributions to their local and international communities,” PolyU President Prof. Tong said.

The University of Cincinnati is a top 25 public research university with its highest enrollment in history – more than 42,500 students. U.S. News & World Report ranks 34 of UC’s programs in the top 50 in the nation. UC also is the founder of the world’s first cooperative education program.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University was formally established on 1 August 1972, taking over the campus and staff of the Hong Kong Technical College. Its mandate was to provide application-oriented education to meet the community’s need for professional manpower resources. [Excerpted from http://www.polyu.edu.hk/cpa/polyu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=44&lang=en].

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