Nova Southeastern University (NSU) announced recently, the formalization of an existing relationship with Beijing Normal University. NSU Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Frank DePiano, Ph.D; Honggang Yang, Ph.D, dean of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS); and Xiaoyi Fang, Ph.D, Yangtze River Professor and Director of the Institute of Developmental Psychology at Beijing Normal University (BNU); entered into a Memorandum of Understanding during a luncheon held at NSU’s Grande Oaks Country Club on Jan. 16.
“We are looking forward to co-developing sustainable academic projects with BNU,” says Dean Yang. “Our goals are to broaden advancements in the field of family therapy for both countries.” One of the oldest and well respected universities in Beijing China, BNU is a public research university with a strong emphasis in humanities and social sciences. Family therapy in China is an important and growing area of interest among Chinese scholars. Prior collaborations between the two universities will now be expanded to include greater opportunities for research, outreach, teaching, intercultural exchanges of faculty and students, and other projects, specifically in the area of family therapy.
Dean Yang welcomed the Chinese scholars along with John Miller, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Family Therapy (DFT), Tommie Boyd, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of DFT, and Anthony J. DeNapoli, Ed.D, executive director of International Affairs for NSU.
In addition to Dr. Fang, who has been honored by China’s Ministry of Education in recognition of his academic and professional achievements, representatives from BNU included – Linyuan Deng, Ph.D, an assistant professor of Faculty of Education at BNU and a family therapist whose area of focus includes young couple relationships and parent-adolescent relationships; Jing Lan, Ed.M, a family therapist and the manager and research assistant at the Marital and Family Research and Therapy Center at BNU; and Jinato Zhang, Ph.D, an assistant professor of the State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience and Learning at BNU, and an assistant to the dean of School of Brain and Cognitive Science.
“It was a pleasure meeting and exchanging with the delegation from China,” said Provost DePiano. “These accomplished scholars, developing working relationships with our faculty, allows for academic exchanges that benefit all. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to meet these outstanding scientists.”
This collaboration will provide SHSS faculty and students greater opportunities to expand the field of family therapy internationally.
