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Show WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, THE SUMMER UTAH CHRONICLE U JAKE PARKINSON Chronicle News Writer They may not be interested in the Rocky Mountains, but geographical location is what attracted Chinese officials to the University of Utah. Located in the West, Utah is economically unique. Utah was successful at switching from an agricultural economy to an industrial and technological economy, and that is what Chinese officials are interested in, according to Fred Esplin, vice president for university relations. China's Office for West Development was established in March of 2000. The office's goal is to improve rural economic development while protecting and constructing ecological and environmental projects. To help achieve this goal, the U's Academic Outreach Center for Education will train government officials, educators, students and business through representatives exchange programs. The AOCE program was selected by China's State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs to offer training to Chinese professionals. There are 270 Chinese students enrolled at the U, making them the largest number of students from a single country outside of the U.S. "SAFEA's authorization is not given to just any university, and the U can feel honored to have been singled out for this designation, which allows us tremendous access to Chinese professionals who need to go overseas for training," said Lisa Xuc, AOCE international academic programs director. China's Minister of Education Zhili visited the U last November to help set up this proChen gram. "The U recognizes it is much in our interest to have ties in Asia. The Chinese minister was particularly impressed, as Utah is a landlocked state that developed later. They saw things that Western China could learn from," Esplin said. In November, China's forestry leaders came to the U to learn more about forest management "They learned how computers can aid in forest development and conservation. It was kind of an eye opener for them. They were amazed at how computers can be used to help with forestry management," Xue said. "It's a very exciting opportunity to interact with other colleges in China. It leaves me feeling hopeful and helpful as we are being asked to help in training. These kinds of programs help increase the U's visibility internationally," said Marcia Bur-ban- k, assistant dean of AOCE. In May, a group of U associates went to China. "This is the second time we participated in a delegation to China. We went to meet with Chinese representatives in public and higher education," said Terry Chatwin, director of the U's Utah Engineering Experiment Station. Norman Council, an English professor, was one of many who went. Expenses for the trip were paid for by the Chinese government. "AOCE was establishing connections. We spent some of the time in formal meetings with representa- tives from China's universities," Council said. From the U's perspective, the main point was to develop a collaboration to make the exchange of students and faculty much easier, Chatwin said. While there, the U opened an office of continuing education in Beijing. The office will be used for training. "What we are trying to do is develop partnerships with the top Chinese universities so we could have their people come here and likewise," Chatwin said. "The Chinese people are great businessmen and entrepreneurs, but because they have been under communism, they have lost some of those skills. They feel it is important to come over and be trained and gain these skills," Chatwin said. A group of 15 Chinese representatives will come to the U for a month of training in July or August. In July, a group of Chinese accountants will come to the U for Certified Public Accountant training. Yang Jiechi, China's Ambassador to the United States, will come to the U Sept. 13 to continue to build ties between the U and China. "I feel proud of what I am doing. This is just the beginning. We hope to be able to find more programs to give more opportunities for growth desert-manageme- nt to the U and China," Xue said. jparkinscnchronicle.utah.edu Healtft etwork and Hospita V Consolidates U Develops CMinese Relations Faculty, Students Exchanged in China-Program Business Schoo Collaborates With China on Degree MATT CANHAM Chronicle Editor in Chief The red tape is thick and the scissors dull, but Jack Brittain and his Chinese counterparts are trying to overcome the bureaucratic obstacles standing in the way of a joint business degree. The University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business wants to bolster its international reputation by establishing joint degrees with both Chinese and Mexican universities. Brittain, the business school dean, first visited China about a joint executive master's of business administration degree last January. China's Ministry of Education, which oversees the country's universities, has expressed interest, but Brittain and Chinese educators have to jump through a series of hoops before the classes will start. "The amount of government control over their program is very high. We can't do anything without the Ministry of Education's approval," Brittain said. The U has authorized Brittain to offer the degree, so his efforts now focus on getting the Chinese government to do the same. Right now "there is just a lot of meetings," he MATT GROESBECK Chronicle News Writer The University of Utah Health Network, plagued with recent clinic closures, physician disputes and debt, will merge directly into the Health Sciences Center. The U Board of Trustees unanimously approved the venture Monday. U officials formally announced the July merger Tuesday at an employee gathering at the U Hospitals and Clinics Redwood Center. Administrators hope the UUHN absorption will plant a stronger business presence in the Salt Lake healthcare market by streamlining physician referrals and restructuring to form a direct line of command. Dr. Lorris Betz, senior vice president for health sciences, said the integration of UUHN into the health center has been the goal ever since the U acquired and transformed McdPartners into UUHN three years 1 ago. Betz called the integration "the anticipated and logical next step." The only anticipated changes in the current structure of the Health Sciences Center will be the loss of a few administrative staff and the dropping of the UUHN name. "Patients will see a change in the signs and billing. Other than that, there is no change for the patients," said Kim Wirthlin, assistant vice president for government affairs. Wirthlin cited several improvements the integration will create. One of those is a $1 million reimbursement from Medicare, an advantage she calls "an immediate financial benefit" that the UUHN could receive as early as next fiscal year. UUHN didn't receive the total available Medicare reimbursements since g system," they were a not associated with the U's teaching hospital. Medicare pays more for services provided at a teaching facility. Referrals arc expected to increase the hospital's patient base. UUHN has a current active patient base of 100,000 people, Wirthlin said. Hospital officials hope to see this number grow someday to 300,000. "free-standin- "This integration is important because it ensures the U health system has the patient base to fulfill its educational and research mission," Wirthlin said. mgroesbeckchronicle.utah.edu With a Eurailpass, you can make tracks in Europe wherever and whenever the impulse moves you. said. variety of Railpasses are available, including: Eurail A Chinese officials have not questioned the quality of the U's educational offerings, but they want to personally meet the people with whom they will work, Brittain said. These meetings will postpone the start of the joint MBA. "The potential for starting classes a year from now is pretty Selectpass Youth Safe in Norway, Alex Husdal turned on the television to see homes burning in her native country in southeast Asia. ture" campaign. "The problem with torture victims is that they lose trust," Husdal said, referring to a Kurdish woman who has been imprisoned and reportedly tor- - Online, she read of truckloads of men plundering the homes of members of the minority group to which she belongs and the scapegoat for eco- nomic upheaval. Women and girls, some as young as seven, were raped. Doctors and their families were threatened and afraid to help the vic- "Must be under age 26 on first day of travel. BE Europe 3-ai-J America's Leader in Student Travel counciltravel.com 2144 S. Highland Drive, Ste. 120 Salt Lake City 582-584- MMJ1UW flllllll WJ, j 0 Will I ,)WHIPI miMIIIWIIIIH & Chronicle INVITE 5 rfj Ml1 itwr F t l ill lt"t' lap kjui TO A SPECIAL SCREENING MONDAY. mMtM' TJ rtm i va' VB p 'V it. .vnm ;trz a.kt :M fa JULY 2ND n m 7:00 Ineatres PM 474 34b6 CENTURY 16 125 East 3300 Soutn PICK tims. "For almost two years after this happened I could not laugh. I could not enjoy music. If anything happens, my family, my people will be tortured again," she said. "I had to do something." Husdal began her work as an activist when she created an online petition requesting that the United Nations investigate the reports. This week, Husdal hopes to bring the stories of torture victims to University of Utah students as part of the international "Together against Tor YOU AND A GUEST see TORTURE, page 4 Hi any months to any 10 days 3 (pick any bordering countries out of 17), from $230. tured in Turkey. By signing a petition to help her, passers by can make a statement. Sf?jT-t- f - Travel in 2 5 remote," he said. Brittain said the program will benefit both the U and the Chinese universities. Many executives are promoted through the ranks and receive little or no managerial training. The program would focus on these executives who are spread throughout international markets. The U is trying to set up a similar program in Monterey, Mexico, and, with less government control, Brittain expects classes to commence within the next year. mcanhamchronicie.utah.edu money-savin- g Symposium on Torture Visits U WYNNE PARRY Cnronicle Asst. News Editor 2001 y? YOUR rum PASSES m CHROSai OFfiCE 1 290 (left) and Beverly Clark practice Falun Gong, a Chinese form of meditation, in the union as protest to China's banning the ancient exercise. Yin Wang i UTAH ...... i Starts Wednesday July 4th EVERYWHERE! L filTW CAWft Ml 24 |
