Directing Study Abroad in China Program in 2007

I was Director of Furman University's Study Abroad in China Program in 2007. In August 2007, I led a three-week "national tour" of China for Furman students. We visited Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an,Chengdu, Lhasa, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Zhouzhuang. Then we stayed at Suzhou University for a whole semester in fall 2007 studying the Chinese economy, culture and language.

In Beijing, we attended a corporate presentation at the global headquarters of Lenovo, the world's largest PC manufacturer. Students explored the business strategies of Lenovo in a discussion with a Lenovo executive.In Beijing, we attended a lecture at China Center for Economic Research at Peking University by Prof. Miaojie Yu (余淼杰教授） titled "A Survey of Research on the Chinese Economy." Dr. Yu currently serves as the Vice-Director of the National Development Institute at Peking University. After the lecture, we had an in-depth discussion with Peking University students.

In Xi'an, we attended two lectures at the Jinhe Center for Economic Research at Xi'an Jiaotong University by Prof. Yusen Kwoh (Director of Jinhe Center) and Prof. Xiangyi Zhou about the Western Development Strategies in China.

In Nanjing, we visited Johns-Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies and had a discussion with Director Jan Kiely. In Nanjing and Chengdu, We visited Zhejiang University and Sichuan University, respectively, and had discussions with students there.

After the national tour, we stayed at Suzhou University studying Chinese language, culture, business and economics for a whole fall semester in 2007. The students also took internships at various institutions in Suzhou, such as Suzhou Museum and Kemet Co. Ltd (a multinational corporation in Suzhou Industrial Park).

I taught Furman students Economics of China during fall 2007 in Suzhou. In September, I took students to a field trip to the legendary Huaxi Village and held a discussion with their Party Secretary and Vice-Secretary regarding their economic development model.

Great Wall, Beijing

Forbidden City (Royal Palace), Beijing

Global Headquarters of Lenovo, Beijing

Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet

Jinhe Center for Economic Research, Xi'an Jiaotong University

Terracotta Soldiers, Xi'an

Terracotta Soldier Musuem, Xi'an

Huaxi Village, with the legendary Party secretary

Wu, Renbao