Burnaby, BC, March 29, 2011: How can SFU increase its relevance to the Chinese-Canadian community? What prospects and opportunities is SFU missing? What is distinctive about SFU?

Simon Fraser University’s president, Andrew Petter, is asking these questions of the community in addition to SFU students, staff and faculty. 

Today, Petter and other university representatives are listening to answers and input from the directors of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. as part of a series of community consultations aimed at shaping the future of the university. The process is called envision>SFU, and Petter’s goal is to develop a strategic vision to guide the university over the next five years.

Petter told S.U.C.C.E.S.S. how the Chinese community already plays an important role in the university’s programming.

• SFU has partnerships with some of China’s top-ranked universities, including Tsinghua University in Beijing; Zhejiang University, Hangzhou; and Jilin University, Changchun.
• At Zhejiang University, for example, the SFU-ZU Dual Degree Program in Computing Science is a unique five-year program developed by SFU and Zhejiang University (ZU). This program admits up to 25 Computing Science students annually from SFU and ZU respectively. SFU-Zhejiang University Dual Degree Program allows SFU students to earn a degree from Zhejiang University which is consistently ranked in the top five universities in China.
• SFU students also enjoy the opportunity to study and work in China.  To date, 225 students have participated in co-operative work programs in China. SFU students have also gained first-hand experience in contemporary Chinese culture and society with SFU’s Field School in Chinese Archaeology & Paleoanthropology, conducted with Shandong University.
• SFU has one of the highest percentages of international students among BC and Canadian universities. Some 55.4% of SFU’s international undergraduates are from China (Fall, 2010); and  23% of graduate students are from China (Fall, 2010)
• SFU is innovating in developing new programs to serve recent immigrants such as the “Certificate In Canadian Business Management Fundamentals” (presented In Mandarin). This part-time program is designed for Mandarin-speaking professionals who want to master the management concepts and techniques they need to excel in the Canadian business environment.
• SFU is also active in conducting research and building intercultural understanding and appreciation through the work of centres such as the David Lam Centre. It has a 20-year history in fostering intercultural dialogue through its support of academic research and publication and through a wide variety of community activities. And it has leading faculty such as Rosalie Tung, professor of international business, who holds the Ming and Stella Wong Chaired Professorship.

“SFU knows that the Chinese community is one of the university’s most important groups of stakeholders, and I think we have programs and a track record to prove it,” says Professor Petter.

 “However, it’s important we hear from community leaders, like those at S.U.C.C.E.S.S., about how we can make sure SFU stays relevant. We need to examine our roles and relationships and ensure we’re moving forward.”

Thomas Tam, CEO S.U.C.C.E.S.S., welcomes SFU’s strategic approach in reaching out to Chinese community. “Over the past years, we have been partnering with established organizations in engaging the new Canadian community on key issues”, says Tam.

The envision>SFU campaign was launched on February 10, 2011 and will continue until June 2011. Then SFU will release a white paper on the results of its extensive community consultation and will establish its strategic vision moving forward.

More information about envision>SFU can be found at http://www.envision.sfu.ca/

More information about the SFU-Zhejiang Dual Degree Program can be found at:
http://www.cs.sfu.ca/undergrad/prospective/ddp/zu.html

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