Established in October, 2013, Chongqing University-University of Cincinnati Joint Co-op Institute (hereinafter referred to as JCI) is a joint collaboration that brings together the engineering faculty of both Chongqing University and the University of Cincinnati. It’s a five-year program (freshmen, sophomore, pre-junior, junior and senior) in which students will study in Chongqing University for the former four years and finish their capstone courses and senior design in University of Cincinnati. Our unique program combines western creativity with the proven strength of traditional Chinese education.
I. The characteristics possessed by JCI students:
1) Advanced education from the United States:
With small-class instruction, group discussion, project and program design, and research report, the JCI students are motivated to learn by themselves and focus on the application of professional knowledge.
2) English immersion instruction on all courses:
All JCI professional courses are taught in English by both the teachers from the University of Cincinnati and Chongqing University. To ensure quality instruction, Chongqing University selects teachers with proficient English ability and solid professional knowledge to travel to the United States and shadow American instructors at University of Cincinnati.
3) Advantageous majors in Chongqing University:
The existing Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering are the national characteristic and key majors in Chongqing University.
4) Alternation of classroom study and professional practice:
From their sophomore year to their junior year, there are three semesters (four months for each semester) in each year. During the three years, the students would alternate semesters of paid, career-related experiences with semesters of classroom study, which can help them apply the theoretical knowledge to the engineering practice and conduct study with the problems encountered in the engineering practice.
5) Solid base of knowledge and definite learning objectivity
Parts of the JCI students were selected through college entrance examination or independent recruitment examination, and the other parts were selected from the freshmen in Chongqing University. It ensures that all of them are equipped with a solid base of knowledge. After one month of intensive English training and co-op cultivation in CQU-UC Joint Co-op Institute, they would have a definite learning objectivity and positive attitude towards learning.
II. Co-op program
All JCI students alternate between semesters of classroom instruction and paid on-the-job workplace application starting in their sophomore year and extending through the end of their junior year with three semesters for each year (four months for each semester) and nine semesters in total. JCI students will co-op in the enterprises for five semesters (20 months) in the whole co-op period. All of the students will be divided into two groups for alternating co-op semester:
Different from traditional internship, the co-op students will participate in the co-op work as full-time employees. With proficient English ability, positive and modest attitude towards learning and active thinking, our co-op students would be a useful complement to the corporate human resources.
III. The benefits of co-op program towards enterprises
1) The enterprises are able to observe the co-op students in daily work and select future qualified employees in the co-op program;
2) If the co-op students choose to stay in the co-op enterprises after graduation, they would be more loyal to the company which can decrease the turnover rate;
3) There is no need to conduct new employee orientation for the co-op students if they choose to stay in the co-op enterprises which can reduce the training period;
4) Co-op students can be regarded as continuous human resources in the company as they must stay in the same company for at least two semesters (8 months) and Group A alternates with Group B;
5) The payment for co-op students is much lower than contract employees. What’s more, the companies do not need to pay the insurances and housing fund for the co-op students;
6) The companies can fire the co-op students whenever the students are not qualified for the co-op work as they are not contract employees.
Currently, JCI has established a cooperative relationship with many professional enterprises, such as Continental China, Siemens China, ABB, Johnson & Johnson, Schneider Switcher (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., MCC-CISDI, Mattel, SMIC (semiconductor manufacturing), SAIC-IVECO Hongyan Commercial Vehicle Co. Ltd., Intrepid Control System Co. Ltd., Fiber Home Technologies Group, PCB Piezotronics (Beijing) Inc., and etc.
As the first mandatory cooperative education program in China, JCI is proud to help fill the gap between classroom education and corporate needs.
