Global Partner, East China University of Science and Technology, visits The University of Akron

On June 23, the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering (CPSPE) had the privilege of welcoming longtime, global partner East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) to The University of Akron (UA).

A delegation of ECUST, led by Dr. Huifang Du, Chairman of University Council, visited our campus and had the opportunity to tour CPSPE’s labs and facilities. More importantly, an agreement of cooperation was signed by Dr. Du and Dr. Rex Ramsier, Interim Senior Vice President and Provost at UA, to enhance relations between the two universities and to develop academic and cultural interchange in education, research, and other activities, and work together toward the internationalization of education.

ECUST is one of the premier universities in China, highly renowned for the School of Material Science and Engineering (SMSE). UA has enjoyed years of partnership with SMSE-ECUST. Global engagement and international partnerships are important and this visit from ECUST signified a continued commitment to the joint effort we share through the collaborative Akron Masters Program.

The general structure for the program is that students complete three years of undergraduate study at ECUST and two years at UA in Polymer Science or Polymer Engineering, receiving their B.S. from ECUST and M.S. from UA in five years. From 2011 to 2016, 67 students from SMSE-ECUST came to CPSPE as part of the accelerated degree program. With the partnership of the two schools, these students have a path to highly recognized degrees and they have often been recruited into excellent Ph.D. programs.

“One measure of success is that over 83% of these students were recruited into Ph.D. programs at UA or 18 other schools across the U.S.,” said Dr. Eric J. Amis, dean of CPSPE and Vice Provost for Research at UA. The success of these students will continue to enhance the prestige of both institutions.

“We are grateful for our past five-year partnership with ECUST that has seen over 50 students graduate with Masters in Polymer Science or Polymer Engineering,” said Amis. “We look forward to continued collaboration with ECUST, with ECUST students, and with these new alumni of UA.”