New York University (NYU) is one of the best universities in the United States and it has just opened a school in Shanghai in partnership with East China Normal University(ECNU). The arrival of the American university on China mainland is an example of what is being called the "globalization" of education and it is hoped that this trend will influence the quality of education in all of China's universities by raising the standard of teaching. NYU Shanghai's class of 2017(students will graduate in 2017) is made up of 295 students from China, America and other countries. The students will study liberal arts courses for two years before choosing a major and when they graduate, they will receive a degree from NYU and a degree from ECNU. All the classes will be taught in English, using the teaching methods in American universities. Students will be pushed to take risks in the classroom, pushed to speak up and pushed to say things that are not completely correct, which can make them understand that it's OK for them to make mistakes in class. This style of learning will be challenging for many Chinese students, because they will be mixed with the foreign students both in the classroom and in the dormitory. Living and studying with foreigners day to day will provide Chinese students with a cultural as well as academic education and it's hoped that this cross-cultural experience will benefit them when they seek jobs in the competitive global market. China's interest in partnering with foreign universities comes at a time when western universities are trying to expand. They realize that information, technology and business are now borderless; they also realize education should be borderless too. This trend will have a deep effect on bringing the world closer together and the students at NYU Shanghai should be excited to be on the leading edge of this trend. What is the NYU Shanghai's class like?
It offers the same courses as NYU does in the US. It's hard to follow the classes without knowing English. The students are majoring in liberal arts courses. Only two-year courses will be provided in this class.