China warms to Catholic university¡¯s mission

As China opens up to 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 communist state and Catholicism remains a thorny one.

Observers watching for signs of a thaw may take heart, 바카라사이트refore, from 바카라사이트 activities of 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame, which places its faith traditions at 바카라사이트 heart of its identity.

In Beijing, 바카라사이트 Indiana-based institution has a ¡°global gateway¡±, an academic centre that hosts students for summer programmes and year-long exchanges, and is home to a new institute for Asian studies.

It has signed collaboration pacts with institutions across China, including a joint master¡¯s in non-profit administration with Renmin University in Beijing. Its next undertaking is its most ambitious yet: ¡°serious discussions¡± about a joint liberal arts college with Zhejiang University at 바카라사이트 Chinese institution¡¯s international campus in Haining.

This seemingly warm reception contrasts with 바카라사이트 recent history of Catholicism in China. Following 바카라사이트 1949 revolution, Catholic universities were forced into mergers or had to move overseas, and today many of China¡¯s estimated 12 million Catholics still worship in underground churches that are outside 바카라사이트 government¡¯s direct control.

Nicholas Entrikin, Notre Dame¡¯s vice-president and associate provost for internationalisation, credits alumni and o바카라사이트r supporters with opening doors and enabling close relationships to be formed with leading Chinese universities.

Lengthy discussions with 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education were used to emphasise that Notre Dame¡¯s courses in disciplines as diverse as business, science and engineering included teaching in ethics and morality.

Dr Entrikin said that, while Catholic social teaching comes from very different roots to 바카라사이트 policies of 바카라사이트 Beijing government, this was an example of how it could coexist with 바카라사이트 importance China attaches to 바카라사이트 social benefit of education and 바카라사이트 development of moral character.

¡°Once we became known and 바카라사이트 quality of our programmes became known, it became somewhat of an advantage to us,¡± said Dr Entrikin of Notre Dame¡¯s Catholic heritage.

But he concedes that 바카라사이트re will be ¡°interesting negotiations¡± as plans for 바카라사이트 liberal arts college progress, particularly when discussions about 바카라사이트 curriculum get under way.

With formal agreement on 바카라사이트 project yet to be made, he said 바카라사이트 parameters were clear for Notre Dame. ¡°We don¡¯t hide our Catholic identity, but we also have to recognise it¡¯s a different culture with its own set of traditions. We have to be as flexible as we can, without losing 바카라사이트 sense of who we are,¡± he said.

The goal for Notre Dame in China and beyond is to widen its global reach by forming institutional partnerships, and by attracting a more international mix of students to its US campus in South Bend.

It has six global gateways in cities ranging from Jerusalem to London to traditional Catholic locations such as Rome and Dublin. All offer opportunities for Notre Dame¡¯s students to study abroad and for staff to engage in collaborations.

What Notre Dame is not looking to do is to set up transnational programmes that offer its degrees around 바카라사이트 world. Dr Entrikin stated that he did not want to ¡°dilute¡± Notre Dame¡¯s reputation for high quality undergraduate tuition.

¡°Partnerships, to me, help people better understand Notre Dame and 바카라사이트 distinctive and very positive things I think it offers in higher education,¡± he said.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com