May 10, 2010 - PARTNERSHIP RECEIVES CHINESE GOVERNMENT APPROVAL

The Chinese Government has approved up to 40 students to participate in the College’s Environmental Technician Water and Wastewater Systems Operations program starting this fall.

A recent trip to China by Northern College President Fred Gibbons has resulted in the signing of a joint venture partnership agreement between Northern College and Yangzhou College of Environment and Resources. Through the agreement, Northern College will license the curriculum of three of its programs for instruction (Environmental Technician - Water and Wastewater Systems Operations, Computer Engineering Technician and Business Administration- Accounting) at its partner college in China. Chinese students will be registered as students of Northern College and pay tuition fees to Northern.

In the final year of study, Chinese students have the option of attending one of Northern’s campuses to complete the requirements for graduation, or remain in China to complete. At graduation, they will have met the same required learning outcomes as Ontario graduates and will therefore graduate with a Northern College diploma.

“While I was in China, officials impressed upon me their concern and determination to improve the quality of municipal drinking water systems. At present, very few systems offer potable water and with a population of 1.3 billion people, not only is this a vital issue, it also represents a huge opportunity for our program and Northern College,” said Northern College President Fred Gibbons.

“I am so pleased that our Chinese partner college, Yangzhou College of the Environment and Resources, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China have prioritized and selected our Environmental Technician Water and Wastewater Systems Operations program based out of our Kirkland Lake Campus, as our first program of study to be offered in China. The selection of this particular program not only speaks to its high quality curriculum, it also signifies the Chinese Government sees it as contributing to its own agenda of improving the quality of municipal drinking water systems.”

Media Contact:
Fred Gibbons, President
705-235-7136

Or

Carole Belanger,
Communications Officer
705-235-3211 ext. 2253

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