Founded in 2001, the AASCU China 1+2+1 program connects AASCU member institutions with Chinese university partners in increasingly popular dual degree programs. Each fall the on-campus coordinators for institutions participating in the China 1+2+1 program gather for a day-and-a-half-long workshop to hear updates on the program, share common challenges and solutions, network with their colleagues and prepare for this year’s recruitment cycle. This year’s Worker Bee meeting took place on Monday, Sept. 18, and gathered 42 “Worker Bees” to introduce themselves, greet old friends and catch up with the AASCU global initiatives team. 

China 1+2+1 allows Chinese undergraduate students to complete their first year of study at their home university, study for two years on an AASCU campus, and spend a final year back on their home campuses. At the end of the four years, the students graduate with a bachelor’s degree from both institutions. Partnering with the China Center for International Educational Exchange (CCIEE), the China 1+2+1 program includes 35 AASCU schools and 121 Chinese universities, and has developed a reputation for success.

“For us, it’s been huge. It created exposure in China, which brought other opportunities from around the world,” says Silvia Li, Director of Special International Initiatives at Troy University (Ala.), who was attending the Worker Bee meeting for the third time. International students make up roughly 11 percent of Troy’s enrollment, and Li says China 1+2+1 “made us the international university in Alabama and helped define who we are.”    

The Worker Bee gathering continues to grow annually as more campuses adopt the program or expand their participation. This year’s session was the largest.

It’s wonderful to see this continued growth of the program, especially in terms of the professional development and networking opportunities it provides,” says Karl Markgraf, Chief International Officer & Director of International Programs & Services at University of Minnesota Duluth. Markgraf, a self-identified “Old Bee” has been attending Worker Bee meetings for over 11 years. “I think next year, we’re going to need a bigger room,” he says.

For more information on the program, visit our website.