MSU-China facts
- MSU’s focus on China dates back to 1962 when the Asian Studies Center began as the university’s academic center for developing and coordinating Asia-related programs.
- MSU sent its first official delegation to China in 1980. The group signed exchange agreements with Peking University, Nankai University, Sichuan University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other institutions.
- Former MSU professor Sylvan Wittwer’s 1987 book “Feeding a Billion”—which explores the success of Chinese agricultural development—was one the earliest and most successful examples of collaboration between American and Chinese scientists.
- Following her November 2004 visit to China for a food safety forum, President Lou Anna K. Simon commissioned a task force to map out the details for a significant and strategic expansion of MSU in China. Read the task force's recommendations.
- On May 18, 2006, MSU held an on-campus forum called Global Encounter: China to identify partners, programmatic themes and research and instructional opportunities related to China.
- On Oct. 10, 2006, Provost Kim Wilcox officially opened the MSU Office in Beijing.
- On June 14, 2008, 24 students from China graduated—in Beijing—with an MSU bachelor’s degree in turfgrass management through a new U.S.-China collaborative program.
- In mid–2008, MSU turfgrass scientists helped build the portable athletic turf in Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
- MSU had 1,889 alumni in China in July 2008.
- MSU had 653 students from China enrolled during the 2006–07 academic year—second among foreign countries to Korea’s 974 students.
- The number of MSU students from China increased 19 percent between 2003 and 2007.
- MSU offers 11 study abroad programs in China—from Advertising in Shanghai to Financial and Global Business Management in Hong Kong.
- MSU had 140 students participating in study abroad programs in China in 2007–08—a 119 percent increase from 2003–04.
*Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read PDF documents.
