STUDY ABROAD Course at K-State, Department of Grain Science and Industry
Faculty-Led Study Abroad course GRSC 790 “Grain Processing and Utilization in China” was carried out in May 21-June 7 2009 by Professors Xiuzhi Susan Sun and Hulya Dogan from the Department of Grain Science and Industry (GSI) at Kansas State University. Twelve graduate and undergraduate students registered for the course from three departments in the College of Agriculture. This first GSI study abroad class gave students a first-hand experience of agriculture practices in China and provided opportunity to learn and tour grain related processing and utilization technologies, facilities, and grain storage elevators. Henan University of Technology (HAUT) in Zhengzhou was chosen to be the host university since Henan province is number one in grain production, especially wheat, and HAUT is the sole university that has Grain College in China.
Besides technical contents, this course was designed to give students an excellent opportunity of experiencing Chinese culture, history, geography, economy, and politics. Our students have gained unique experience from all aspects including culture shock. They also had wonderful time interacting with local students at HAUT through dumpling making, basketball game, shopping, etc activities. We toured Beijing on our way to HAUT from breath taking “the Great Wall” to preserved traditional Beijing HuTong, and toured the most historical cities of Lueyang and Kaifeng in Henan, and explored the largest and most modernized city in China – Shanghai on our way back to the USA.
Dr. Dirk Maier, Professor and Head of GSI, came along with this Study Abroad team to implement the collaborative education agreements signed between HAUT and K-State approved in 2006. Two new specific agreements with details including curriculum and collaboration strategies were signed during this trip on both undergraduate and graduate training between HAUT and GSI. Dr. Maier also visited China Grain Institute, China Agriculture University, and Buhler in China.