Source: Whitireia and WelTec
A groundbreaking partnership between Whitireia and WelTec and Qingdao Huanghai University (QHHU) in China has welcomed its first students this month, marking the launch of the Joint Institute Huanghai WelTec (JIHW).
Approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, the institute is the first of its kind in Shandong Province with a New Zealand partner. It will deliver degrees in animation, digital media and design, applied data science, and software development – offering students the unique opportunity to graduate with dual qualifications from both institutions.
Up to 300 students will enter the four-year programme each year, with total enrolments expected to reach 1,200 at any one time. Whitireia and WelTec academic staff will teach in China, delivering one third of the degree content, with QHHU providing the remainder.
All teaching will be delivered in English and structured into four-week blocks. Some tutors will travel to China for a single block, while others may choose to stay on for two or three courses in succession. By the fourth year, when the institute is operating at full strength, 86 courses will be delivered annually across all four majors.
While the institute is based in Qingdao, Whitireia and WelTec note there may be scope in the future for New Zealand students enrolled here to take a course delivered in China rather than locally. Such options remain at an early discussion stage.
“This is more than a collaboration between two institutions – it’s a bridge connecting cultures, industries and people,” says Mary-Claire Proctor, Head of School for Innovation, Design and Technology. “Our students will gain not only world-class technical skills but also the cross-cultural understanding needed to thrive in today’s interconnected world.”
Programme Manager for Digital Media and Design, Brenda Saris, says the institute combines “China’s strength in technology and digital innovation with New Zealand’s excellence in creative industries and ethical approaches to tech.”
The partnership has been more than two years in the making and is set to run for 14 years. Leaders say it positions New Zealand as a visible and trusted education partner in one of China’s fastest-growing hubs, while creating new opportunities for staff exchange, research collaboration and potential postgraduate expansion.
“This is a milestone for New Zealand education,” says Tony Assadi, Programme Manager IT. “It shows the world that we can deliver qualifications that are both globally relevant and deeply human in their purpose – to create, to innovate, and to inspire.”
