You may remember RWC English Professsor Rita Kumar’s trip to Xi’an International Studies University (XISU) and her experience there last summer, as recorded in the Activist last fall. This school year, Professor Xiaohua Hu, a teacher from XISU is visiting RWC and teaching English Composition here, as part of a faculty exchange that RWC has with XISU.The exhange program began when RWC Professor Shaorong Huang persuaded his colleague Professor Stan Sulkes to teach at XISU for one semester in 2004. Upon returning, Professor Sulkes described his experience as wonderful, Professor Huang said.
Furthermore, both of them talked more about the exchange program together with RWC faculty. In May 2005, XISU administrator Guohua Zhao visited RWC. Shortly thereafter, UC President Nancy Zimpher met with XISU President Sishe Hu and Dafu Yang, XISU Director of International Corporate Exchange.
The three worked out a contract between XISU and UC, which Zimpher signed in September 2005. On the basis of this contract, teachers from both colleges have spent from three weeks to an entire school year teaching on both campuses. Among the many subjects an RWC teacher can teach at XISU through this exchange are literature, English Language and Communication. Professor Huang says that he encourages faculty to use their summer vacation to teach at XISU, although XISU’s hope is that visiting faculty could stay for at least a half a year to a full year. If not, then at least three weeks.
Since the exchange, two RWC Professors (Huang and Kumar) have taught at XISU, and two XISU professors have taught at RWC.
In the spring of 2006 Professor Huang became the visiting professor at XISU. In September 2006, Xiaoyuan Feng was the first XISU professor from XISU to teach at RWC. Then, in the summer of 2007, Professor Kumar visited XISU. She presented a Culturelogue about her journey last fall. In September and December of 2007, Professor Huang taught at XISU. As the faculty exchange is off to good start, the program is now looking for a new faculty member to be the next to visit XISU.
Current XISU Visiting Professor Xiaohua Hu says classroom studies here are similar to those in China, because both are interactive. American teachers can teach in China the same way they do here and with increasing exposure to the Western style of teaching, the majority of Chinese professors have been trained or received a degree from a Western country.
At XISU, Professor Hu noted that the university hires 60 to 80 international professors a year. As a result, students are well prepared when meeting a professor who is not from China.
Professor Hu explains her learning experience at RWC and inside the US as enjoyable. This is not her first visit to the U.S. She lived in this country three years prior to becoming a teacher at RWC. She mentioned that friends she’s made have helped make the living adjustment in America not a hassle.
As for her family who live in China, Professor Hu said she often talks to them over the phone and Internet.