On Oct. 15th, Mr. Sang Kim, Director of Asian Affairs Center and Dr. Mary Jo Herde went to China and spent about five days in Beijing and Jinan. During their stay, they paid a visit to the China State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (CSAFEA) and discussed the training agreement for 2008 with the China Youth Center for International Exchange (CYCIE) and Shandong Personnel Department. Dr. Herde said in an interview that they spoke highly of MITI International Training Programs. In Shandong, thirteen government officials (MU alumni) who attended the MITI training program presented a warm welcome to Mr. Kim and Dr. Herde with a wonderful dinner. At dinner, most trainees said that their six-month experiences at MU campus were memorable. One of the trainees was Mr. Zhan Baowei, Director of Taian High-tech District Administration Committee, who recently wrote a book about his impressions and life in Missouri. Mr. Zhan generously presented this new book to Mr. Kim and Dr. Herde. They were treated to several banquets and received several nice gifts. Dr. Herde pointed out that many trainees agreed that Missouri helped them to become familiar with the Heartland of America and appreciate the hospitality of the Midwest other than just the touristy coasts. The trip also made Dr. Herde realize the cultural differences between America and China and the positive attitude of the Chinese government towards overseas training programs. “This trip gave us the first-hand experience and valuable feedback from partners in China, which will benefit our future work.” she said.
