An international partnership between Trent University and Tianjin University of Commerce in China will bring new international students to Trent starting as early as September 2017 following a milestone articulation agreement signed.

Students who participate in the program will not only graduate with two bachelor degrees, one from Tianjin University of Commerce and one from Trent University, but will also have fluency in two languages, and a network for success in two countries.

Representatives from Trent University and Tianjin University of Commerce, including Dr. Leo Groarke, president and vice-chancellor of Trent University, and Professor Ge Baozhen, president of Tianjin University of Commerce, came together for an official signing of an agreement that will see Mathematics students at Tianjin University completing two years of their degree at Trent University.

“We’re delighted to be able to extend this exciting international learning opportunity to students at Tianjin University of Commerce and we look forward to growing our relationship with the university and welcoming students to Trent and to Peterborough,” said Dr. Groarke.

Dr. Michael Allcott, director of the Trent International Program, added: “Our partner universities across China are very important to Trent’s internationalization strategy.  Having visited Tianjin many times, it is a great pleasure for me to host colleagues from Tianjin University of Commerce, and to put in place this opportunity for students. Such programs don’t just add to students’ education, they multiply and transform learning.”

Students from Tianjin University will complete their first two years at their home university and then travel to Trent University to finish their degree and graduate as Trent students. Students who graduate with a Mathematics degree at Trent have the opportunity to specialize in Mathematical Finance or Mathematical Finance and will be prepared for entry into Trent’s newest graduate streams in the Applied Modelling and Quantitative Methods program, Big Data Analytics and Financial Analytics.

“At Tianjin University of Commerce we don’t just want quantitative improvement, we want qualitative,” explained Ge Baozhen. “That’s one of the reasons we want our students to be taught by Trent faculty. Offering them a different learning experience will open up opportunities for their future.”