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Memorandum of Meeting on November 11, 2005 Participants: Rector Henrik Toft Jensen, Director Mr. Lars Dirdan, Ms. Inger Rossing Jensen, Mr. Niels, Dean Mr. Bent Greve… Students of MEA programme Place: building 22.2 Main Contents l Reimbursement of Program Fee The Rector said RUC accepts the decision of the legal advisor of the Ministry of Science to reimburse the program fee to the students. But he said the documents received are complicated and it would take around one week time to scrutinize and get back to the students. The reimbursement amount will be different on individual basis since some charges should be deducted, such as airport pickup, English course and the trip to Italy. When asked by two students on how they would get refunded as they paid extra fee for one or two semesters expecting to improve English level or make up the courses they are required for bachelor study but as a result only by repeating the first one or two semester study of the program, the Rector said this will be answered by the Dean. The Dean added that some students complained that they have been charged by the agents an extra fee of overseas service including having them picked up at the airport when arriving in Denmark and this can not be recognized by RUC. If students can provide any documentation showing that they have paid such fee and then it is against the agreement between RUC and the agents. Students have different idea about the trip to Italy as at that time the Department expected more students to go and emphasized it was a seminar related to the study. l General Quality of Education The rector said the systems of education between Denmark and China are much different. The Dean said the University is providing high standard of international program. l Proficiency of English The Dean said it has always been insisting that the proficiency of English is the requirement for following the education and activity. An English course has been provided. Note: the English course was provided on the 3rd semester of Module 4 students when they had already finished more than half study. Also it was an English wring course, no much help on improving the overall standard. English proficiency is still one of the major problems among some Chinese students which make them fail to follow the education and activity well. l Internship The Dean said the word of internship creates some misunderstandings. The department had never promised to provide chance of working in an organization for a period of time, say 6 months. What the University can do is to provide some contact with private companies for students to have a case study on their project work. But students said some staff of the Department had promised something different on the beginning of 2nd semester which means an opportunity to work in a company for a couple of months. Although the Dean said he had talked with staff in the Department and had never heard about this, a student said she got some email communications which can prove this kind of internship had once suggested and promised to be carried out but failed eventually which made all students very much dissatisfied. The Dean requested to see the email and then be able to come back to it later. l Certificate of Degree Students raised the question that they had never been told that the degree would be master of public administration (MPA) until long after arriving RUC. What they saw from the admission letters and other documentations were only MEA. The Dean insists the degree will be on MPA with the study of MEA. But the students can’t accept it as MPA will mislead many employers in China and make students lose opportunity to be candidates for employment in private company. One student raised the query that the definition of E&A is bigger than P&A but why on the certificate MEA is put inside of brackets of MPA which means the study is on MPA within MEA scope. The University said a copy of the degree sample would be provided tomorrow. When asked about the measurements or criteria for conferring degree, the Dean said if students passed all the exams and final thesis they will get the degree. It is the same as Danish students. There is a regulation available on rewarding the degree. When asked the rate of success for master students for MEA program, the answer is there is no MEA program before, but for the rate of success for all master students in RUC including Danish students, the answer by the Rector is around 75% and he expected it could be higher among Chinese students as they don’t have the obligations most Danish students have here such as family, etc. l Supervisors Students raised the number of supervisors is limited while more students are recruited. The Dean said the supervisors students can choose from are not limited from the list provided. This is the first time students (other than Module IV) heard about this, before they could only choose from the list provided. The Dean also said more PH.D students will participate in giving the lectures and supervision. l International environment When asked whether he heard building 22 was called as Chinese Town, the Rector said heard of it but expressed that Danish students would like to stay together with their own people if they study abroad. He also said he hope more Danish students can attend the lectures of this program. The international environment of this program is to meet Danish and other international student in canteen, library and parties as well as activities organized by international club. Danish students can’t be forced to attend the lectures of this program. When asked whether there are any efforts made to promote this program, the Dean said the program is on the website as international program and they will put effort to let more students know the program. But the Dean said being in Denmark is a kind of international environment and in the future there will still be possible to have program for students from one nation only such as one from Africa as they want to stay together. But students said Chinese students don’t want to only stay with their own people and practice their Chenglish. They want to actually have group work together with international and Danish students, not only for parties and social activity. A Danish student observing the meeting stated the current environment make Chinese students lack of understanding of everyday life in RUC due to the separate from other international and Danish students. The rector admitted that it is difficult for the University to make it international for this generation.
Response from Students
l Reimbursement of program fee It was said that there was an introduction fee paid from RUC to agents in china for each students recruited. The introduction fee will be deducted from the money paid back to the students. Students are surprised about this. If such fees exist, it is between the University and the agents, not between students and the University. As it seems some disputes occur on the items as extra service, students expect that a detailed list could be provided before the University discussing with each individual on the amount to be refunded. l General Quality of Education Students have well understood the difference between Chinese and Danish education systems and actually appreciate the group work being done in RUC. The complaints on quality of education have nothing to do with the system itself. l International Environment The international environment as understood by Chinese students is not just for the social interaction with Danish and other international students but also more importantly for academic interaction, including having lectures and group work together. Recorder: Hui Xu, Jiamin Shi, Lin Wang, Dong Xu, Jin Qian, Minyu Zhu, Yu Zhang and Shengqi Dong of MEA program
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