The Implementation and Evaluation of Online Joint Program for Masters Between China and Bosnia-Herzegovina

Abstract

In the context of Belt and Road cooperation, China and the central and eastern European countries have been developing the cooperation under the frame of “17+1” multilateral cooperation mechanism, with remarkable outcome achieved. With the increasing exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, education, humanities and so on, the number of Chinese-funded enterprises in central and eastern European countries has been increasing, the demand of international integrated talents with strong cross-cultural communication ability is on the rise. This paper aims to find a resolution of cultivating qualified talents with the capacity in both cross-cultural communication and academic majors, by carrying out a study on the joint master program between two higher educational institutions of China and eastern Europe. Tianjin University of Technology and Education of China together with University of Banja Luka in Bosnia-Herzegovina has carried out an online joint program for masters majoring in economics and trade with mutual recognition of academic credits. The study evaluated the result of the joint program through various interviews and data analyses, which showed good an outcome in promoting mutual understanding and academic major improvement. The paper described in detail the profits of the program for the students, the teachers and universities from both sides and then further listed the future cooperation strategies and steps from the aspects of governments, universities and faculties, etc. Hope this study can provide a good example of joint talent-cultivation for the higher educational institutions between China and the central and eastern European countries, thus providing talent support for the cooperation between China and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) and even for the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.