On June 26, TRU and Tianjin University of Technology (TUT) held graduation ceremonies for 102 business students from the joint TRU-TUT program offered both at the main TRU campus in Kamloops and at the TUT campus in Tianjin.

TRU and TUT officials along with some of the graduating class during convocation ceremonies in Tianjin.

The students received Bachelor of Business Administration Degrees from both institutions, bringing the total number of graduates to 660 since the joint program was established in 2002. This year, Wang Xiaoxia was recognized as the top student of her class.

Since 2002, this partnership between TRU and TUT has given rise to other transnational education opportunities, including a Field School in Tianjin for BBA program students from Kamloops, student exchange programs, and TRU faculty assignments in China.

A few days later on June 28, TRU representatives were in Shanghai at the Shanghai Institute of Technology (SIT) to participate in convocation ceremonies for the joint TRU-SIT Bachelor of Business Administration program. At the graduation ceremonies for 52 Chinese BBA students, the top ten students were recognized with the highest award going to Yao Jing.

June 2010 convocation participants at SIT.

237 students have graduated from the joint SIT-TRU program since its inception in 2003. TRU looks forward to welcoming both new and returning students from TUT and SIT in Kamloops this fall.

Also in Shanghai, TRU representatives were invited to attend the Governor-General of Canada’s address at Fudan University, where her Excellency Michaelle Jean launched her official 2010 visit to China.

TRU recently signed three notable Tourism Management agreements with partners in China: an articulation agreement with CIBT School of Business and Continuing Education College in Beijing, one with South Central University for Nationalities in Wuhan, and a further agreement with Ocean University in Qingdao.

The new agreement with CIBT follows on the success of two earlier agreements signed in the areas of Business and Computing Science, and extends transfer opportunities for current CIBT Business students in China to pursue Tourism Management studies at TRU. CIBT opened its first campus in 1995 with Beijing University of Technology and by 2001 was ranked in the top three foreign-owned programs in Beijing by the Academic Degree Committee of the State Council in China.

Founded in 1951, South Central University for Nationalities (SCUN) is one of the key higher education institutions in Central China. Under the new agreement with TRU, SCUN students who complete the first two years of the Bachelor of Tourism Management program in China may transfer to TRU complete TRU’s Bachelor of Tourism Management Degree in Canada.

Meanwhile, the new agreement with Ocean University (OUC) provides the opportunity for OUC students who complete the first two years of the OUC Hospitality program in China to transfer into the Bachelor of Tourism Management program at TRU. Ocean University is one of China’s leading national universities and is renowned for its science disciplines, particularly in Oceanography and Fisheries research.

TRU Stories is an occasional interview series with international students and alumni from Thompson Rivers University.

Name: Malin Otmalm
Age: 23
Home City/Country: Sundsvall, Sweden
First Language: Swedish
Program of Study: Arts
Planned Graduation Date: May 2010

What will you remember about your time at TRU?
How much fun we’ve had! I’ve met so many cool people and made contacts for life!

What were your first impressions of TRU and Kamloops?
It’s surprising how much alike Sweden and Canada is, and in particular BC. I remember rolling through Merritt on my way to Kamloops, the scenery is just breathtaking!

What would you say to somebody from your home country who is considering coming to TRU?
If you really want to experience Canada and it’s culture- I think Kamloops is the way to go. The people you meet when you travel makes a huge difference on how much fun you’ll have. I believe that Canadians are a warm and hospitable people and I have never felt more welcomed! It’s like a more relaxed Sweden where everything is bigger- the mountains, the burgers, the beer!

What are your plans for after you graduate from TRU?
My plan is to get my citizenship here in Canada and to do graphic design.