University of New England

Nexus
The China Connection - a Conversation with V.P. of Academic Affairs Lemuel Berry
by Danielle Vayenas

Since his arrival at the University of New England in 2001, Lemuel Berry, Jr., Ph.D., has been heavily involved in promoting international studies and is the founder of the University’s Culture Abroad programs in China. He earned his Ph.D. in music education from the University of Iowa and pursued advanced studies at the University of Saarlandes and the University of Koln, both in Germany.

Lemuel Berry Jr., Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs, and Pei Changhong, director, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Prior to UNE, he served as dean of Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State College in Kentucky. He has been a German Academic Research Scholar and Academic Scholar for the People’s Republic of China. He is also involved in multicultural organizations, including serving as executive director of the National Association of African American Studies (as well as being one of the six original founders), the National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies, the National Association of Native American Studies and the International Association of Asian Studies.

How did you initially get involved in working with scholars from China?

Prior to my arrival at UNE, I had established a number of agreements with universities in China. With the support of President Featherman, I encouraged articulation agreements - which outline opportunities for student exchange, faculty exchange, research projects, culture study tours and so on. Each institution has selected the type of interaction they would like to have with UNE. 

Why China?

China was opportunistic. I had initiated contacts while at Morehead. Since 1994 I’ve traveled to China 31 times, and have been everywhere - pretty much every major city. China is part of the World Trade Organization and they are opening their doors to universities and businesses. The country is the next major link economically to the U.S. and other major powers - many of our top scientists since WWII have come from Asia.

As far as choosing China for its educational value - the culture is very different from ours, and the exposure for UNE students is new. Most of our students who’ve traveled abroad have gone to Europe. These countries are different but not unique. China is entirely different - the language, culture - basically every phase of day-to-day living is in some ways quite contrary to how we operate and govern here. Every day is a new learning experience - you never get bored.

UNE has had several visits from Chinese scholars - who are they and why do they come here?

In February 2003, 31 high school administrators spent five weeks here engaged in intensive training on how our public schools at the secondary level operate - funding, policies, practices, curriculum development and use of technology - to compare what we’re doing to what they’re doing. In July of 2002, 12 scholars from Guangxi Normal University in the People’s Republic of China gave presentations and participated in a panel discussion on education, communication, language, culture and other topics at a special Research Forum on the Biddeford campus.

The reason they come is simple - the U.S. is considered the best place in the world to receive an education. Every year, thousands of Chinese try to get here to study; whereas less than 2% of college-level students in the U.S. ever travel abroad to study. In China, education is much more the "old guard style" - teacher and students don’t always interact. The professor will come in and lecture for an hour and not entertain a single question from the students. The students in China take their studies very seriously - it’s considered an honor to be admitted to college in Asian society. Here in the states, one can pretty much get admitted to a college (e.g. community college/4-year college) to learn.

In China, there are just not enough institutions to allow everyone in who wants an education. To some extent, the S.A.T. here determines where you’re going to go study. In China, you take an equivalency test - to see if you’ll even be permitted to go to college. If you fail, you get to take the test one more time. If the student fails again, there’s no such thing as taking it again. Regarding the issue of student retention/attrition - in Asia this isn’t an issue, and it’s something they don’t understand. Students only drop out in case of extreme emergency - something very traumatic. Education is a very serious matter to the Chinese.

In general, libraries in China are not as sophisticated and resources not as current as in U.S. schools. The Chinese may have 20-year-old textbooks, where we change editions every year. So the opportunity to have an American come lecture in their classes is not only great for students, but for the teachers. I’ve given jazz workshops over there and have never had fewer than 200 people in attendance - in addition to students, the faculty come and listen to the entire lecture, taking notes and asking questions. Our faculty travel and experience other cultures in almost every country in the world. Chinese faculty can’t travel for the most part, so they are unable to share those educational and cultural experiences with their students.

We have major plans for more scholars to come here in the near future. Eleven different universities have expressed an interest in coming here for summer intensive training - we could have anywhere from eight to eleven groups here this summer from two weeks to two months.

What about UNE students studying in China?

In 2002, eight students went to China - we’re hoping for more in the future. Kari Wagner - videographer and senior media specialist at UNE - traveled to China in 2002 to teach documentary videography from a Western perspective at The Beijing Film Academy. We’re also working with the College of Health Professions and College of Osteopathic Medicine to set up clinical rotations for our students with several medical facilities in Asia. As of now, we’ve got a few medical schools interested in establishing articulation agreements with COM and CHP, including the Sichuan University of China, Chiang Mai University in Thailand, National University of Laos, and the University of Mongolia.

What do you see for the future of International Studies at UNE?

The future of international studies at UNE is very bright, starting with the initiatives in Asia. Recently the College of Arts and Sciences hired a staff person to coordinate a Study Abroad program. I’ve been pushing for that type of an office since my arrival. The College (CAS) recognizes the need and Study Abroad programs should be very popular here because of the interest expressed by students. Our competitors (Bowdoin, Wellesley, Bates) all have these programs. There’s no reason for our students not to travel - there are ways to apply financial aid towards tuition at schools abroad, and there are grant opportunities as well.

We’ve had requests from COM students recently to travel to Kenya as part of a medical rotation. And, we have 17 medical students planning on traveling to Guatemala on a rotation. They’re keenly aware that working with the patients will expose them to a different culture.

In general, Mainers are "isolated" and don’t have the opportunity to be exposed to diverse populations - it’s very possible for a student at UNE to sit in all four years of schooling and never be taught by any minority - we want our students to be exposed to the global environment. One advantage of this exposure is eliminating frustrations and challenges once they enter the workforce. I’d love to see students traveling on an annual basis - the number has been fairly small so far. It would be great to get them in a room talking about their experiences - how different classes are taught and how they relate to the different cultures. 

Another great opportunity we’re involved in and I’m really excited about, is the Student International Research Forum. Organized through my office here at UNE, the purpose of the Forum is to provide students an opportunity to experience five outstanding lectures throughout the year delivered by foreign scholars.

The other schools involved will include two from the international community and two whose cultures are quite a bit different than UNE’s. Southern University’s student population in Louisiana is 99% African American, and University of Arizona is 56% Hispanic. Technology will allow the students an avenue to view and speak with all the other participants through the use of interactive video. It is our hope that the topics chosen will provoke some lively discussions.

Overall, I believe strongly that the more exposure our students have with the international community, the better prepared they’ll be to deal with the world outside of UNE.