Shanghai Open University (SOU) and University of Maine (Fort Kent) (UMFK) met for the first time via video conference between Shanghai and Fort Kent on May 29th to discuss issues in regard to collaborations between two universities. Professor Gu Xiaomin, Vice President of SOU, Dean and staff of Institute of International Exchange and School of Public Administration of SOU, Professor Wilson Hess, President of UMFK, Dr. Robert Dixon and Dr. Thomas Enerva from UMFK attended the virtual meeting.

Vice President of SOU gave a brief introduction of SOU and School of Public Administration and proposed ways of possible collaboration in the future that would benefit both universities, which then received positive response from UMFK. President of UMFK added that SOU and UMFK could collaborate in such areas as program development, courses development, mutual academic credit transfer and recognition and teachers’ training. Both side agreed to form an agreement of collaboration by the end of May.