China Exchange Programs

Under the guidance of Professor Russell N. Campbell and in conjunction with the normalization of relations between the US and China, UCLA became one of the first US universities to establish ties with the People's Republic after the end of the Cultural Revolution. (1980-1990)

Under the UCLA China Exchange Programs, four English language centers were established in Guangzhou and Beijing to teach academic English to Chinese scientists, scholars, and business leaders. These centers were sponsored by the Institute of International Business and Economics, the Beijing Academy of Science, and the Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing as well as by Zhongshan University in Guagzhou.

The goal of all three programs was to prepare Chinese leaders in science, technology, economics, and business to work and study in the US. In addition to teaching English, the centers offered cultural education to help Chinese scholars relate to their Western counterparts.

The programs were jointly administered by the Language Resource Program and the China Exchange Program, which was incorporated into the UCLA Center for Pacific Rim Studies in 1985. As an integral part of the program, Chinese English language scholars were accepted into UCLA's Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Certificate and M.A. Programs. During the course of the China Exchange Programs, over 50 Chinese scholars benefited from the professional development opportunities at UCLA.

Published: Tuesday, October 11, 2005