Apr. 19, 2017
CWU's Theatre Arts Department to Welcome China Cohort Fall 2017
Central Washington University's Department of Theatre Arts and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) have signed an agreement for an exchange program.
"This is such an exciting opportunity for both of our institutions," enthused Scott Robinson, CWU chair of Theatre Arts. "We already have faculty applying for teaching exchanges with NUAA for this summer."
The idea for the exchange program started when Robinson was invited to teach at NUAA for two weeks in fall 2015. His successful workshops paved the way for the partnership between the two schools.
"This is truly a win-win for both of our schools," he continued. "Our students from China will receive the advantage of a degree granted from an institution in the United States. We'll benefit from having greater diversity in the department, as well as offering study and teaching abroad opportunities to our faculty and students."
NUAA is one of China’s premier learning and research institutions, located in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China. Under the current 3+2 arrangement, NUAA students will earn a bachelor of arts degree from NUAA, and a bachelor of fine arts degree from CWU over a two-year period. Students will also have the opportunity to pursue the bachelor's degree in Theatre Studies as a secondary option. Since CWU's BFA program in Theatre Design and Production is currently capped at 12 students per academic year, this second bachelor's option allows the department to offer more degree opportunities. It is expected that NUAA will send up to 10 students in the first cohort.
"We look forward to welcoming them this fall," Robinson said, "And we will be working closely our partners in the Office of International Studies and Programs to assure a smooth transition for our newest students."
CWU is the only state institution in the Pacific Northwest that offers a bachelor of fine arts degree with highly competitive programs in musical theatre, performance, and design and production. More than 90 percent of its alumni gain fulltime employment in theatre positions or enroll in nationally recognized graduate programs within six months of graduating. CWU graduates are routinely featured in performing and production roles on cruise ships, regional theatres, and in national entertainment parks such as Disney World.
Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu
April 19, 2017