Realising student potential through a truly international experience: The collaborative programme in civil engineering between Edinburgh Napier University and Shanghai Normal University

Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) and Shanghai Normal University (SNU) offer a joint undergraduate programme in Civil Engineering. The dual-award programme is fully accredited by the Professional Body for Civil Engineering in the UK (the Institution of Civil Engineers) and is approved by the Ministry of Education in China. Such professional accreditation enables graduates to practice as fully qualified civil engineers throughout the world. The programme has received high recognition from authorities in both countries for its role in providing a truly international experience for the students. Students study Years 1 to 3 in Shanghai (with a large amount of teaching delivered by ENU staff) before studying Year 4 in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh experience provides a truly international dimension to the programme. Living, studying and working in Edinburgh is very rewarding and many students choose to continue their studies to Masters level. This paper describes the structure of the joint programme, the mode by which it operates and the great opportunities that exist for all students enrolled on the programme. The paper also describes the innovative teaching approaches that have to be adopted, within the constraints imposed by the teaching infrastructure available in Shanghai, for the effective delivery of course content.