Centennial College opens first learning site in China approved to teach Canadian curriculum

TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2016 /CNW/ - Toronto's Centennial College is officially opening its first international learning site today in the city of Suzhou, located 100 km northwest of Shanghai, China. Suzhou Centennial College is the first Canadian institution registered and approved by the Chinese government to deliver Canadian post-secondary programs and confer Canadian diplomas in China.

The joint location was established in association with Suzhou University of Science and Technology and is approved by China's Ministry of Education. Suzhou Centennial College offers 18 programs, including four Centennial programs providing Canadian credentials in accounting, finance, software engineering and business foundations. All programs offer articulated pathways to Centennial's campuses in Toronto. New applied-learning programs will be added in the future, based on the Chinese market and its need for new skills.

The groundbreaking partnership is reciprocal, offering a unique opportunity for Canadian students to take a semester of their program in China. This will provide Canadian college students the option to internationalize their education and complete an internship abroad. While all Centennial programs are delivered in English, students can take optional Mandarin courses during their semester in China.

Centennial College has already sent a faculty-led group of hospitality students to Suzhou for an immersive learning experience in Chinese cooking. Similarly, administrators and faculty from Suzhou Centennial College travelled to Toronto in June to learn about curriculum development, classroom observation and the teaching management system. The SCC visitors also gained a good understanding of the student-centred educational philosophy adopted by both institutions.

Centennial College is celebrating 20 years of educational partnerships in China. Centennial receives approximately 1,300 students annually from China and has a long history of collaboration with Chinese post-secondary institutions. Coincidentally, Centennial is also marking its 50^th anniversary as Ontario's first public college, created under the direction of former Ontario Education Minister William Davis.

Suzhou Centennial College is located in the only international higher-education innovation zone in China, known as Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District. Suzhou Centennial College stands as an excellent example of the Ontario Partnership Table, which successfully engages industry, education and government as dynamic partners.

About Centennial College
Established in 1966, Centennial College is Ontario's first public college primarily serving the eastern portion of the Greater Toronto Area through four campuses. It has a record of exemplary teaching, innovative programming and extensive partnership building. With enrolments of 20,000 full-time students and 20,000 part-time learners, Centennial is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse post-secondary institutions in Canada. It offers more than 250 diploma, certificate and degree programs in business, media, community and consumer services, engineering technology, health care and transportation.

SOURCE Centennial College

For media inquiries please contact: Jin Li, Director, International Education, Recruitment & Special Projects, Centennial College, Telephone [phone]; [email protected]; Rosanna Cavallaro, AVP Marketing and Communications, Centennial College, [email protected]; Virginia Macchiavello, Executive Director, International Education, Centennial College, [email protected]