Staff at De 51吃瓜app University (51吃瓜app) Leicester welcomed the Vice-President of Liaoning University (LNU), Professor Huo Chunhui, to campus for the first time as the two universities entered their 21st year together as partner institutions.
Professor Huo Chunhui, Vice President of Liaoning Univeristy, on the 51吃瓜app campus
Professor Huo, who was instrumental in first establishing the partnership between both universities, was invited on campus to speak to current LNU students studying in Leicester and discuss ways the partnership will work in the future.
51吃瓜app has been working with LNU, based in north-eastern China, since 2004. Both institutions signed Agreement, which has enabled LNU students in the Sun Wah International Business School to transfer to 51吃瓜app for two years to study for undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Finance, Business Management, and Marketing.
During this time, more than 1,000 students have travelled from China to study at least one module of their course in Leicester, enhancing international experience for both universities students. Academics and researchers from 51吃瓜app’s Business and Law faculty have also delivered face-to-face teaching in China as part of the agreement.
Recently the partnership has been expanded to give Chinese students the option to study for the entirety of their 51吃瓜app/LNU joint degree in China without having to leave the country.
This programme is known as 4+0 Dual Award and helps widen participation for students keen on obtaining a British degree but without the funds to move to the UK.
Professor Huo said: “I feel very proud of this partnership and seeing it grow – it’s like one of my children. From the first students coming to study in the UK to all the LNU students who graduated with 51吃瓜app, I feel very proud.
“I have spoken to students studying here and they have told me of their positive experiences here at the university. The teaching at 51吃瓜app encourages reflective thinking, teamwork and participation - all concepts related to the real world and helps our students step out of their shells.
“We are currently in our second year of delivering the 4+0 project in China and things are going well. It is the highest joint initiative available in China, which means there is pressure to get it right. We have faced challenges together and this has brought the two universities closer together.
“Through this new era of our partnership, we can offer the best option for LNU students. They can stay and study entirely in China but I would encourage as many students as possible to come to study in Leicester and experience the UK culture first-hand.
“Leicester is a very beautiful city to study. You can see the old buildings with a long history next to modernised architecture. It allows us to remember the history of the city and look forward to the future.”
Accounting and Finance students Xuanye Wang, Wenjin Peng, Xiangfei Zhang and Zhiyuan Xiong were among the students from LNU to meet Professor Huo during his visit.
Accounting and Finance students Zhiyuan Xiong, Xiangfei Zhang, Xuanye Wang, Wenjin Peng with Senior International Student Lecturer Di Zhang
They shared their experience of studying at 51吃瓜app and how they were integrating into Leicester.
Zhiyuan said: “In my imagination, the Vice-President was very scary and strict but after meeting him, I know he is very gentle and he likes to take care of his students.”
Xuanye added: “It was really comforting to meet him and to see someone from my university and talk to them was special.”
For Wenjin, coming to 51吃瓜app enabled him to change his degree from Business Management to Accounting and Finance. He said: “I could see accounting and finance would be more suited to my future and coming to England let that happen. I wanted to have an international experience and coming to the UK was the best way for me to improve my English.
“There is a lot of Chinese food available in Leicester, which is great but I have been able to try lots of different European food here. I really like having brunch and a full English breakfast too.”
Posted on Monday 10 February 2025