October 25, 2007 -- When Wilfred Laurier University opens its Chongqing University office in November, it shall further cement its connections with local educational institutions. Although based in Chongqing University, it will also work with other five other universities and educational institutions in the region, including Southwest University, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing University of Post and Telecommunications, and Southwest University of Political Science and Law.

"Our collaboration with Chongqing University will be focused on business and social science. For example, international development of supply chain management, and research into social work," Peter Donahue, director of Laurier International told Emerging China.

The office will work on the preparations for joint research programs between Wilfred Laurier University and Chongqing University, which are to start in September 2008. The program will coordinate exchanges of both faculty and students between the two universities. Although there are no numbers yet about how many students will go from Chongqing to Canada; in 2008, about 20 to 25 students and 5 to 10 faculty members from the Canadian university will go to Chongqing University. The office will also provide management, guidance and support for Wilfred Laurier Universities' activities in the region, which already has 18 partners in China.

While there are a number of western universities in eastern China - such as in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong - there are few with connections with Chongqing universities, and, apart from Wilfred Laurier, none with an office in Chongqing.

"It is a big opportunities for us to work with educational institutions here. Besides, Chongqing University is close to Canada Consulate in Chongqing, which has played a supporting role by facilitating the communication, and encouraging both sides to discuss and explore the partnership opportunities between the two sides," said Donahue.

In April 2008, the president of Wilfred Laurier University will come to Chongqing, to further discuss issues that will develop the scientific and technological relationships between Canada and China, as well as the opportunities for Canadian businesses in Chongqing.

"MBA courses on offer in Canada rank top in the world, as Canada has long international trading history with America, Europe, and Asia, which offers unique knowledge base in MBA that out competes any other places in the world. Wilfred Laurier University has broken ground by opening its office in China. It is an experiment, and an important step for its smooth development in China," Shawn Steil, the consul of Canadian Consulate in Chongqing told Emerging China. He believes that there will be more Canadian universities coming to China.