Fudan University will team up with four Asian counterparts to set up a cyber college, varsity officials revealed in Shanghai yesterday. The cyber college will be jointly run by Fudan, Waseda University of Japan, Korea University, the National University of Singapore and Thammasat University in Thailand.

 

They will develop distance education curriculum, set up academic standards and carry out teaching via the Internet.

 

"Developing the cyber college can not only promote education digitalization, but strengthen the academic exchange between top Asian universities," Katsuhiko Shirai, Waseda University president, said at the second Sino-Japan Higher Education Exchange Symposium yesterday.

 

Officials did not reveal a college start-up date.

 

Fudan University launched a dual undergraduate program last year. Five Chinese students and three Japanese students have gained dual degrees after studying at each other's universities for a year.

 

Wang Shenghong, the president of Fudan University, said at yesterday's symposium that the exchange quota will be increased next year.

 

(Shanghai Daily December 26, 2006)