2:54 p.m., April 13, 2009----The University of Delaware and National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan have signed an agreement to offer dual doctoral degree programs in civil and environmental engineering. The two universities plan to cooperate in the areas of teaching, research, consultation, and faculty and student exchanges.

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Tripp Shenton, chairperson of UD's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, traveled to Taiwan for the official signing of the agreement on March 30.

“This is an exciting new type of cooperative program,” Shenton says. “It goes beyond traditional faculty and student exchanges and fosters true integration of students from each institution into the scholarly and social culture of the other.”

All students in the dual-degree programs will be co-advised by faculty from both institutions, and their dissertation committees will include members from both schools. Students will also spend time in residence on both campuses as they work toward their degree requirements.

In addition, they will be required to meet any unique conditions of either program, such as NCHU's stipulation that each student have an accepted journal paper on his or her CV before the degree is conferred. “This means that the requirements are even more rigorous than they would be at either institution,” Shenton says.

C. P. Huang, Donald C. Phillips Professor, will serve as the program coordinator at UD, while Prof. Victor Tsai will hold this position NCHU. Huang was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the joint program.

“This agreement embodies the core values of engagement, partnership and diversity in UD's Path to Prominence^TM,” says Michael Chajes, dean of the College of Engineering, “and it exemplifies the types of activities envisioned in our global initiative. The program will enable Delaware students and their peers in Taiwan to learn about engineering in a broader context while also gaining insight into the economic, environmental, political, cultural and social issues of another country.”

The new agreement extends collaborations already initiated in Taiwan by the College of Engineering. In October, UD President Patrick Harker and Chajes visited Taiwan and signed an agreement with National Taiwan University to foster student and faculty exchanges. During that trip, Chajes also held the first UD-Taiwan Alumni Reunion event, which was attended by more than 30 UD alumni.

Shenton visited NTU during his recent visit to further develop collaborations there.

Article by Diane Kukich