News Local/State

U of I Opening Office In China

by The Associated Press, with additional reporting from Illinois Public Media
 

The University of Illinois plans to open an office in China later this year.  A group of alumni is visiting the country next week.

Pradeep Khanna is associate chancellor for corporate international relations at the school. Khanna tells The News-Gazette that the U of I plans to hire up to three employees for the new office in Shanghai.

A delegation of University of Illinois alumni is traveling to Beijing and Shanghai next week. 

U of I Urbana Chancellor Phyllis Wise said the cost of the office is minimal at $10,000 annually.

"For us to be able to continue to grow our relationships and our collaborations with other universities in China, with corporations in China, to maintain our relationships and grow them with our alumns, to be able to help students who are either going to back to China after their education here, or in terms of answering questions for students who want to come here, I think it's really critically important for us to have a consitent presence there," she said.

The delgation of about 50 people will meet with alumni and visit companies and universities that have partnerships with the U of I.

Wise visited China last year. She’s scheduled to host the opening ceremony for the office on Dec. 9.