The School of International Education (or SIE for short) is an important window to promote the internationalization of education of Guangdong University of Technology (or GDUT for short), and the main platform to display the achievements of the internationalization of high-level university construction at GDUT.

Adhering to the motto of “Global Perspective, Excellence Through Diligence” and relying on the abundant teaching and research resources of GDUT and overseas cooperative universities, SIE is committed to cultivating high-quality innovative talents with global vision and good understanding of international rules through joint training and joint degree programs, according to the demand for talents in the building of the Belt and Road and the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

SIE is located on Panyu Campus of Guangdong University of Technology, enjoying beautiful environment, excellent learning atmosphere and colorful cultural activities. Since its establishment in 1988, SIE has successively conducted cooperative education with Hong Kong Longhui Group, the Clifford Group, La Trobe University of Australia, Melbourne Institute of Higher Technology, and the others, acting as a pioneer of international education among domestic universities.

During the cultural accumulation and continuous growth of comprehensive competitiveness of over 60 years, Guangdong University of Technology has been actively expanding the channels of international exchange and cooperation in talent training. At present, the school has established dual-degree joint training programs of International Class (Sino-foreign Joint Education) with prestigious universities in the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and Australia, as well as an undergraduate exchange and academic qualification program with RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

The International Class is a dual-degree joint training program for the cultivation of international innovative talents with mutual recognition of credits by our university and well-known foreign universities. In 2015, the International Class started enrolling students in five state-level and province-level key majors, namely, Mechanical Design & Manufacturing and Their Automation, Electrical Engineering and Automation, Computer Science and Technology, Civil Engineering, and Business Administration. So far, the International Class has cooperated programs with world-leading universities, including RWTH Aachen University, University of Western Australia, University of Technology Sydney, University of Wollongong, University of Exeter, Loughborough University, Queen’s University Belfast, Heriot-Watt University, University of Dundee, Brunel University London, University of Essex, University of Huddersfield, Missouri University of Science and Technology and so on.

There are three modes of educational system for students in International Classes. (1) “2+2” mode: After studying at GDUT for the first two academic years, the students will continue to study at one of the overseas cooperative universities for the third and fourth academic years when admitted. Those who complete all the courses required by GDUT and the relevant courses at corresponding overseas cooperative universities and meet the requirements for graduation and degree awarding will be granted an undergraduate diploma of GDUT and dual bachelor’s degree certificates of GDUT and the overseas cooperative universities. (2) “3+1+2” mode: After studying at GDUT for the first three academic years, the students majoring in Mechanical Design & Manufacturing and Their Automation will continue to study at RWTH Aachen University for the fourth academic year when admitted. Those who complete all the courses required by GDUT and the relevant courses at RWTH Aachen University and meet the requirements for graduation and degree awarding will be granted an undergraduate diploma and a bachelor’s degree certificate of GDUT and the official learning certificate issued by RWTH Aachen University. With outstanding academic performances, students will have the opportunity of being admitted to a master’s program of RWTH Aachen University. (3) Students who do not study abroad for various reasons could apply to stay in the SIE to follow the training mode of internationalization at home. When they complete all the courses required by GDUT and meet the requirements for graduation and degree awarding, they will be granted an undergraduate diploma and a bachelor’s degree certificate of GDUT.

SIE adheres to the education policy of “student first and quality foremost”, and tries every possible means to promote the quality of teaching, relying on the outstanding faculty team who are national high-level talents, winners of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, winners of Trans-Century Training Program Foundation for the Talents by the State Education Commission, experts with special allowance from the State Council and other prominent educators at GDUT or from overseas cooperative universities. Moreover, a professional management team is formed by both Chinese and foreign partners to coordinate the professional management of Sino-foreign joint education. SIE pays close attention to teaching quality and curriculum construction with international standards, takes various measures to promote international teaching reform, and actively explores the construction of English-medium courses. The school’s public basic courses, professional basic courses and professional core courses are mostly taught in English or bilingually, which helps the students lay a solid foundation for subsequent professional course learning.

Upholding a rigorous and serious attitude of school running and adhering to the spirit of pioneering and innovation and advancing with the times, SIE actively introduces high-quality overseas educational resources, draws on advanced educational concepts and management experience from cooperative universities in Britain, the United States, Australia, Germany and other foreign countries. Through cooperation and exchange between GDUT and internationally renowned institutions, SIE has greatly expanded the popularity and social influence of GDUT at home and abroad, and meanwhile, it has reaped significant improvement in the level and quality of education and achieved initial results in education. Among the students of International Class who chose to study in overseas cooperative universities, nearly 70% of them have been admitted to further their postgraduate studies at world-renowned universities, including Imperial College London, University College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Western Australia, University of Sydney, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and other world-famous universities.

Facing the new development stage, SIE will stick to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, fully implement the education policy of the CPC, carry out the fundamental task of strengthening moral education and cultivating talents, and make steadfast efforts to promote the high quality development of international education by finding new opportunities and creating a new situation.