Cincinnati University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University to sign MoU on Dual Masters Program

University of Cincinnati President Santa J. Ono and Hong Kong Polytechnic University President Timothy W. Tong will initiate a new agreement for a unique dual enrollment program centered on the UC Master of Engineering (MEng) degree and the HKPU Master of Science (MSc) degree.

Under this new articulation agreement, students at each university may pursue UC’s MEng and HKPU’s MSc degrees concurrently and graduate with both degrees. Joining the presidents as signatories of the agreement are Teik C. Lim, dean of UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS); H.C. Man, dean of HKPU’s Faculty of Engineering (FENG); and Raj Mehta, vice provost, UC International.

“Both universities want to provide this opportunity to students, and both have worked diligently to make it a reality,” said UC President Santa J. Ono. “I congratulate Dean Lim and Dean Man for the initiative and cooperation they have demonstrated in completing this exciting partnership. It capitalizes on the longstanding relationships among key faculty and administrators at CEAS and FENG and will be rewarding for students in both countries.”

CEAS’s MEng degree and FENG’s MSc are each designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and experience in their fields of interests along with subjects covering new developments in the respective disciplines. Neither degree requires a thesis.

Typically, students originally registered at FENG will earn 15 or more credits from FENG before enrolling in UC courses for 15 or more credit hours. Likewise, students originally registered at UC will earn 15 or more credits from CEAS before enrolling in FENG courses for 15 or more credit hours. Upon satisfying degree requirements of the articulation agreement, students will be eligible to receive both an MEng from UC and an MSc degree from HKPU.

According to Dean Lim, “The dual degree shows a level of commitment to the development of technical and professional skills that would impress any employer.  Students – and potential employers – also benefit from the knowledge gained from faculty at two institutions. With the increasing globalization of the technical workforce, degrees that span institutions and provide an international perspective are particularly valuable.”

Students in the concurrent enrollment program will be charged HKPU tuition and fees while they are at FENG. When they register for subjects offered by CEAS, out-of-state students will pay out-of-state tuition and fees while they are at UC. While registered as full-time students at CEAS, FENG students will be eligible for the same scholarships as traditional Master of Engineering students at CEAS.

This initial agreement will be effective for a period of five years. Development of this program is anticipated to facilitate further collaborations between HKPU and UC. Program coordinators are Eugene Rutz and Julie Muenchen at UC and S.L. Ho at HKPU.