TNUA and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music (SCOM) last month signed an agreement to become sister schools, with both sides looking forward to various collaboration and exchange programs.
The agreement was signed at a ceremony on Dec. 18 by TNUA President Prof. Ju Tzong-Ching and SCOM Vice President Zhang Xianping, witnessed by others from both sides.
Prof. Ju, extending a warm welcome to the 13-member SCOM delegation, noted that TNUA has fostered active interactions with arts institutions in the Greater China area in recent years, having established sisterhood ties with the Beijing Film Academy, Shanghai Theater Academy and Fudan University and conducted various exchange activities. He said he hopes the latest agreement with SCOM will promote exchange and collaboration between both schools.
SCOM not only is a famous academy with a long history, but also has an extensive network of international connections, Prof. Ju said. TNUA has also stepped up its efforts to develop international exchange, often inviting world-renowned masters from such fields as film, dance, music and visual arts to offer lectures, he said. He believes that the exchange of teachers and students can help both sides extend their international ties in the near future.
Prof. Zhang, giving regards to Prof. Ju and all others in the TNUA family on behalf of SCOM President Xu Shuya, said they were here both to sign the sisterhood pact and discuss plans for the exchange of teachers, students and publications. He said that right after returning home they ill unveil related plans to accelerate exchange between both sides.
As the oldest music academy in China, SCOM has made international exchange one of its major development focuses. It has set up collaboration ties with more than 40 famous institutions and has been in talks with the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Canada’s Royal Conservatory of Music for cooperation projects till 2013.
Prof. Zhang noted that with its economy growing strong, China’s central and local governments are allocating more funding and support for SCOM, allowing it to run more international programs and send more students abroad.