Outreach to China Gains Momentum

Graduate study at the University of Washington is much more familiar and compelling now to top students from 49 Chinese universities after an intensive recruitment fair Sept. 22, 2007 in Wuhan, China.  Graduate School Associate Dean for Student Affairs Dr. Elizabeth Feetham represented UW at the event and spoke with many of the 400+ undergraduate and graduate attendees, answering questions, distributing a colorful new recruitment brochure, and discussing the many reasons to attend UW and live in the Seattle area.  "This was an excellent opportunity to share important information about graduate education and learn from each other," Feetham said.  "Students had many thoughtful, focused questions.  It was a pleasure to encourage their educational goals, wherever they choose to study."

The International Graduate Scholarship Conference/Scholarship Information Exchange was the third annual held in China; the UW Graduate School has participated fully each year.

The day prior to the recruitment fair, Feetham presented an overview of research collaborations with China's Sichuan University and Jiuzhaigou National Park for graduate school deans and other officials from China and 13 other U.S. institutions participating in the conference.   Research collaboration participants from UW are graduate students.

Feetham's experience in China is just one of many ways the UW Graduate School is seeking to enroll more students from abroad.  In 2006, UW admitted 156 graduate students from China and Hong Kong, with total new graduate enrollments from China in 2006 exceeding those before the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) changed rules affecting foreign students' ability to enroll in U.S. institutions.  Recent increases at UW reflect, in general, a steady three-year increase in overall international admissions offers nationwide, based on August 2007 figures from a Council of Graduate Schools report.