On Oct. 22, a delegation of high-ranking officials from Hebei Province and other governmental officials from China will visit Drake University to celebrate the special relationship between the University and China. The delegation is visiting Iowa to honor the 30th anniversary of the sister state relationship between Iowa and Hebei Province, and Drake University is the first stop on the group’s visit to Des Moines. Drake University, Principal Financial Group, Governor Branstad, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and the Iowa Sister States Commission are all hosting the group.
Since Drake’s relationship began with Hebei Province more than 25 years ago, the University has sent more than 100 graduates to Hebei as part of the Teach in China program, which offers recent graduates from any academic background the opportunity to live and work in China for a year. Additionally, fifteen Drake faculty have either visited, taught, or taken their students to Hebei through coordination with Drake’s Chinese Cultural Exchange Program.
“Drake University’s relationship with the higher education community in Hebei Province is a tangible manifestation of our powerful commitment to engaged global citizenship,” says Drake University President David Maxwell. “We look forward to expanding the relationships that we have developed, and to creating exciting new opportunities for faculty, staff, and students from Drake and from Hebei Province’s educational institutions.”
As part of the group’s visit, President Maxwell will be signing an agreement with Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School to promote recruitment of their students. Students from the school will also be on the visit to Des Moines, and are scheduled to perform a concert with students from Valley High School in West Des Moines. Additionally, Drake’s School of Education will be discussing collaborative training opportunities with the Hebei Ministry of Education during the group’s visit.
For more information, contact Kirk Martin, director of the Chinese Cultural Exchange Program at kirk.martin@drake.edu or 515-271-3035.