Marquette and the Beijing Institute of Technology have formalized an already existing partnership in hopes of expanding educational and research opportunities for students and faculty at both universities.

On Dec. 13, University President the Rev. Robert A. Wild and BIT Chancellor Wenjun Jiao signed a memorandum of understanding, which officially recognizes the schools' efforts to share resources.

The memorandum "basically means both universities will explore, promote and try to further develop faculty exchanges, student exchanges and activities that would lead to collaborative research," said Brigid O'Brien Miller, director of university communication at Marquette.

A specific timetable for research or exchange programs to be implemented was not included in the agreement, but faculty from both schools will be working together to discuss such programs over time, O'Brien Miller said.

Marquette and BIT have collaborated in the past. Xin Feng, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been working on research projects with faculty and graduate students from BIT since 1993. He has visited China several times and taught a graduate course at BIT for two and a half months in 1994.

Feng said the new agreement is an "escalation" of what he has already been doing.

"The new agreement is starting a new era of our collaboration," he said. "There will be more opportunities, more programs involved from different disciplines."

Though BIT is by its name a technology-focused university, O'Brien Miller said the partnership benefits students and faculty in other areas of study as well.

"Part of this particular agreement came out of work from professors in the College of Engineering," she said. "But it definitely won't be linked to one college or one arena."

Peter Beitzel, vice president of business development for the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, said the benefits of Marquette's agreement with BIT extend beyond the classroom. He called the memorandum a "great thing" for Marquette and the entire Milwaukee community.

Beitzel said MMAC did not play a direct role in the agreement signing, but he attended the signing ceremony to show the organization's support.

Feng agreed that the new memorandum will be important for developing relationships and global understanding.

"Students want to see the global point of view," Feng said. "China is becoming an emerging economic giant, developing fast. Collaborating with them is a good thing for us at Marquette."

In addition to its partnership with BIT, Marquette has established other global connections as well. O'Brien Miller said Marquette has letters of intent from five Polish universities to explore exchanges and collaborations, and the College of Nursing has a partnership with the Shanghai Second Medical University.

"Marquette's philosophy is that now more than ever we need to prepare our students to be global leaders, be it in their careers or through service," she said. "The world is a global society today."

Beitzel said Milwaukee has seen a recent surge of attention toward establishing connections around the globe, specifically in China. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett visited China in October, and MMAC has been working to establish contacts in various Chinese cities, he said.

"It's not only that Marquette is establishing this direct relationship but that their name and Milwaukee's name is getting a little bit known" around the world, Beitzel said.