Texas Southern University China Institute Mission Statement

The Texas Southern University China Institute (TSUCI) provides TSU students, faculty, staff, and the greater TSU community with international education opportunities through Chinese language and culture courses, exchange programs with China, and Chinese teaching partnerships with local K-12 schools. TSU is one of the nation’s largest historically black universities, and it is the fundamental mission of TSUCI to serve African Americans and students from the wider variety of socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds that make up the increasingly diverse TSU student body and greater TSU community. The special focus of TSUCI's courses, exchange programs, and partnerships is to serve African Americans together with the underserved in the greater Houston urban area..

Established in 2012 with the support of TSU alumnus United States Congressman Al Green, TSUCI is a cooperative venture between Texas Southern University and our partner university Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU, one of the top 40 universities in China).

TSUCI provides TSU students, faculty, and staff with critical skills for emerging opportunities in the global twenty-first century economy. China is the most populous country in the world and, in 2014, according to analyses by the CIA and the IMF,China surpassed the United States to become the world’s largest economy. Training in Chinese language and culture will provide TSU students, faculty, and staff with skills important to take advantage of these new opportunities.

PROGRAMS:

TSUCI’s most important programs include the following:

(1) Chinese language courses: For TSU students, TSUCI provides credit-bearing Chinese language courses through the TSU Department of Foreign Languages. TSUCI also offers non-credit courses for TSU students, faculty, staff, and the broader community.

(2) Partnerships with local K-12 schools: TSUCI partners with local elementary, middle and high schools, assisting them teaching Chinese language. These partnerships will help establish TSU as a leader among Houston universities in Chinese.

(3) Exchange programs: TSUCI provides a wide range of international exchange opportunities for TSU students, faculty, staff, and the broader community. For example, every year TSUCI takes over fifteen TSU students to China for two weeks for the TSUCI Summer Study Trip. Some of the students participating in the trip have never left Texas, some have never left Houston, and some have never flown on an airplane. Their first trip abroad is for two weeks of study and travel in China. Many participants report that the TSUCI Summer Study Trip changed their lives.

TSU students who take courses in Chinese, participate in our China study trip, or graduate from TSU with a minor in Chinese Studies will be in an excellent position to take advantage of emerging opportunities and become leaders in the global twenty-first century economy.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

TSUCI's strategic five-year plan supports TSU's strategic goal to become one of the nation’s preeminent comprehensive metropolitan universities. Taking advantage of our urban setting, TSUCI serves the greater TSU community, including African Americans and the underserved. We provide assistance in teaching Chinese language to K-12 schools in the Houston urban area that otherwise lack resources to offer such courses; at the same time, we hope the greater TSU community will recognize TSU as offering unique opportunities in international education through TSUCI. For students in the greater TSU community, TSUCI offers the following career paths: K-12 Chinese language training: Through partnerships with local K-12 schools, TSUCI helps K-12 students get an early start on learning the Chinese language and culture. TSU Chinese courses and Chinese Studies minor: At TSU, TSUCI supports university credit-bearing courses in Chinese language and a minor in Chinese Studies. TSU exchange programs: Through TSU, TSUCI offers students opportunities for a range of exchange experiences, including our two-week TSUCI Summer Study Trip, and semester and year-long exchanges. TSUCI offers a variety of scholarships for qualified students. Teaching opportunities: After graduation, TSUCI can assist students finding opportunities to teach English in China. These opportunities allow students to live in China, immerse themselves in Chinese language and culture, and save approximately $1000 per month (after living expenses). Job opportunities: TSUCI is actively working to develop partnerships with local businesses for internships and jobs. With a degree from TSU, and training in Chinese language and culture, TSU students will stand out as highly qualified for positions with companies seeking employees who can assist in global operations.

TSUCI's five-year goals include the following:

Partnerships: Expanding TSUCI's partnerships with local K-12 schools to establish 20 Confucius Classrooms to help teach Chinese language to 10,000 students in the greater TSU community. (In the past two years alone, we have expanded Confucius Classrooms from 2 to 9, the number of teachers from 2 to 21, and the number of students served from about 100 to 2,500.) TSU: Expanding TSUCI's Chinese language courses at TSU at a rate of 10% each year to double our program in about seven years. (In the last four years, we have increased the number of students from 69 to 105.) Jobs: To develop reliable career paths for TSU students, including English-teaching opportunities in China, internships, and job placement in international corporations.