1. There are many Sino-foreign cooperative education projects. What are the advantages of CDIC?

CDIC is a non-independent legal person Sino-foreign cooperative education institution jointly organized by Chang'an University (The first batch of national 211 Project key universities, national 985 superior discipline innovation platform universities, national double first-class universities) and University College Dublin (It is ranked 177th in the 2021 QS World University Rankings, ranked top 1% in the world in Times Higher Education Magazine). It is an undergraduate education institution officially approved by the Ministry of Education (approval number MOE61IEA02DNR20202076N). CDIC has advanced teaching, strict control of teaching quality, abundant opportunities for overseas exchanges. Supported by the strong discipline strength of two first-class universities, the quality of CDIC’s talent cultivation is guaranteed.

2. What are the characteristics of Sino-foreign cooperative education in CDIC?

The Sino-foreign cooperative education project of CDIC has the following characteristics:

【Feature 1】 National-level specialty majors, combined with the world's top universities

CDIC relies on Chang’an university’s double first-class discipline transportation engineering discipline, and the three majors under it are all national-level specialty majors. Engineering and technology disciplines are the dominant disciplines of the University College Dublin, and the QS World University Rankings ranks among the top. Through cooperation with the University College Dublin, CDIC has introduced high-quality education and teaching resources from the school, so that students are familiar with international engineering rules and have excellent international business and professional technical capabilities. The complementary advantages of both Chang’an university and University College Dublin can guarantee the realization of the goal of cultivating high-level foreign-related talents.

【Feature 2】Well-designed 4+0 joint education mode

This major has chosen the 4+0 dual-student and dual-degree joint cultivating mode for students. The 4+0 joint education mode can not only avoid various problems caused by the disconnection of the knowledge system caused by the Chinese and international educational environment, living habits, and cultural differences and the difficulty of adapting to life abroad in the short term, but also save a series of high expenses caused by visas, air tickets, accommodation and insurance.

【Feature 3】Meet the huge demand of the market of the international transportation infrastructure construction

Driven by “The Belt and Road Initiative” and the building of “strong national transportation network ”, China inland’s contracted engineering business has surged, and its business volume accounts for the world's largest. However, at the same time, it is facing increasingly severe international competition. Therefore, a large number of enterprises urgently need comprehensive talents who not only understand technical management, but also familiar with world business language and international rules and conventions. Therefore, CDIC’s major aim to reform the traditional cultivation mode, practice the concept of international education, and cultivate international talents with solid professional skills, advanced management concepts and excellent bilingual communication skills in the field of highway transportation construction.

【Feature 4】Internationally renowned professors and doctors from overseas prestigious universities build a first-class teaching team

CDIC's core curriculum uses bilingual textbooks and original English textbooks that are compatible with domestic and international technical specifications and design standards, and is taught on-site by outstanding teachers strictly selected by Chang'an University and University College Dublin. The teaching conducts in open, practical, and analysis way. English ability reinforcement courses are taught jointly by Chinese teachers and international teachers (speaking & writing) trained by the University College Dublin.

3. What is the difference between the Sino-foreign cooperative education major of CDIC and the same major of other colleges?

Compared with the traditional domestic undergraduate teaching mode, the cultivation mode of CDIC has significant advantages. CDIC can enable students to obtain a double bachelor degree from a prestigious school at home and abroad with less capital investment (less than 25% of overseas study) while enjoying the high-quality education of both universities; The students will gain professional technical knowledge and bilingual advantages. In addition, students have huge advantages in applying to study abroad and in career development in Chinese and foreign companies; they enjoy a more stable and safe learning life and growth environment than studying abroad. CDIC also provides a variety of opportunities for students to study abroad, such as summer school camps, foreign engineering project internships, etc. In addition, outstanding students can also apply for the 3+1 mode and go to University College Dublin in their final year to complete their senior studies.

4.How about CDIC’s teachers’ quality?

The teaching of the CDIC is implemented separately by the teaching teams selected by Chang'an University and the University College Dublin. The core courses taught by international parties account for more than 50%. For international courses, the University College Dublin dispatched internationally renowned professors to reside in China to provide regular on-site lectures in English for the entire semester. Chinese major courses adopt bilingual teaching, which is mainly undertaken by outstanding teachers with doctorate degrees from prestigious overseas universities and rich bilingual teaching experience introduced by Chang'an University. CDIC pays attention to strengthening students' English ability. The language teachers responsible for improving students' English are strictly interviewed by the University College Dublin and systematically trained at the University College Dublin.

5.How to set the syllabus?

In terms of the syllabus setting, CDIC gives full play to the characteristics of Chang’an university’s “double first-class” discipline transportation engineering, and draws on the advanced ideas of the University College Dublin to cultivate innovative undergraduate talents. The cultivation programs for the three majors are jointly discussed and formulated by the Chang’an university and University College Dublin. The core courses are taught bilingually or in English. The core courses taught by international parties account for more than 50%. Based on the rich international talent cultivating experience of Chang'an University and the University College Dublin, as well as the research and evaluation of the latest market needs, the two universities have jointly developed a special cultivation plan for students to avoid the problem of only understand English but not have a systematic knowledge or only understand their major’s knowledge but cannot conduct international communication. The curriculum of this major is mainly composed of English ability reinforcement, basic courses (bilingual teaching), major courses (mainly pure English), and graduation design (thesis) in English.

6. What is the student's future development (advanced education, employment situation)?

The major of Civil Engineering Infrastructure was approved by the Ministry of Education in 2018 and enrolled students in the same year. In 2020, CDIC was approved by the Ministry of Education, and set two majors: automotive Engineering and transport City Planning and Environmental Policy. CDIC does not have graduate students yet. According to the situation of similar Sino-foreign cooperative education projects, the rate for graduates to continue to study is more than 50%. Take the 2019 graduates of Beijing-Dublin International College of Transportation at Beijing University of Technology as an example: the overseas postgraduate rate is more than 75%, most of the students continue to study for master's and doctoral degrees in world-renowned universities. There are huge advantages for students of their colleges to study abroad for further study and employ in international companies.

7. Is The college entrance examination score required to enroll in CDIC?

CDIC is a Sino-foreign cooperative education institution (non-independent legal person) jointly organized by Chang’an university and the University College Dublin. It is an undergraduate education institution officially approved by the Ministry of Education (approval number MOE61IEA02DNR20202076N). Applicants are required to take China’s college entrance examination and meet the relevant enrollment regulations and requirements. The three majors under CDIC have independent enrollment codes, and students are admitted according to the individual majors of the exclusive project when enrolling students. The current cooperative education program enrollment is good. In 2018, the first enrollment in Shaanxi Province was ranked third in the Shaanxi Province's Sino-foreign cooperative education program. The admission scores and rankings in 2019 have been significantly improved in all provinces across the country. Enrollment is conducted in 18 provinces including Shaanxi, Hebei, Shanxi, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shandong, Henan, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Chongqing, etc. The specific enrollment provinces and indicators are subject to the information released by the local examination institutes.

8. Does the current Sino-foreign cooperative education include all majors in the two universities? How many students are there?

CDIC and the University College Dublin offer three Sino-foreign cooperative education programs: Civil Engineering Infrastructure, Automotive Engineering, and transport City Planning and Environmental Policy. The annual enrollment plan for each major is 120, and the total size of the school is 1,440. The three majors will be based on School of Highway, Automobile, and transportation of Chang'an University, corresponding to the School of Civil Engineering, School of Mechanical and Material Engineering, and School of Architecture Planning and Environmental Policy of the University College Dublin. The two universities will gather high-quality faculty resources for joint cultivation. At present, the Civil Engineering Infrastructure has enrolled 2 students, 120 students each. In 2020, the three majors plan to enroll 120 students each, 360 students in total. The two majors of transportation and Automotive Engineering will have their first enrollment in 2020.

9. Do the students of CDIC have the same treatment as the students of other colleges in terms of the promotion and exemption policies?

Students of CDIC will have the same opportunities as ordinary students of Chang'an University when they study on campus, find a job, pursue further studies, and apply for postgraduate studies. If students choose to apply to the University College Dublin to continue their studies, they will also have the same priority admission advantages as ordinary undergraduate graduates of the University College Dublin.

10. Are the graduation certificates and degree certificates of students of CDIC the same as those of other majors?

Students will be enrolled in both Chang'an University and University College Dublin at the same time. After completing all the required courses, passing the grades and obtaining the required credits, they will receive both Chinese and international diplomats, namely, Chang’an University general higher education undergraduate diploma, Chang’an University Bachelor of Engineering certificate and University College Dublin Engineering Bachelor’s certificate. The above degree is exactly the same as the degree of full-time undergraduate graduates of the two universities with no special mark. Students can acquire an international degree without a prerequisite for studying abroad.

11. Outstanding students in all majors of Chang'an University have the opportunity to change majors. Can students from CDIC be transferred to other colleges? Can they transfer to other majors in CDIC?

Students cannot transfer to another college. Since the cultivation plan is negotiated by both Chang’an university and University College Dublin, it is not yet certain whether it can be transferred to other majors of CDIC. Communication with University College Dublin is needed.

When students enrolled in CDIC, they have already enjoyed the separate major admission of the exclusive program. The financial arrangements and student status management of CDIC are determined through negotiation between Chang’an university and University College Dublin. After students enter the school, dual student status management is implemented and cannot be changed at will. The four-year characteristic cultivation program of CDIC is different from the curriculum arrangements of other majors. For the above reasons, it is not possible to transfer to other colleges.

12. In which country does the student study? Are there opportunities for overseas exchanges?

CDIC adopts the 4+0 mode, that is, the whole education take place at Chang'an University, and obtaining an international degree does not require to study abroad. According to the cooperation agreement between the two universities, some students can choose the 3+1 cultivation mode after meeting the English requirements and major course requirements, best candidates will be selected to study at the University College Dublin in the last year. There are also abundant opportunities to participate in summer overseas exchange programs.

The advantages of the 4+0 joint education mode are:

It can avoid the disconnection of the knowledge system caused by the differences between Chinese and international educational environments, living habits, and cultures.

It can avoid various problems caused by students' difficulty in adapting to life abroad in the short term.

It can save a series of high expenses such as visas, air tickets, living, accommodation, insurance and so on.

13. Do CDIC students have to pass the IELTS test before graduation?

No, the students of CDIC are not required to achieve grades from third-party testing institutions. At the same time, students will obtain a degree certificate from the University College Dublin when they graduate, and they do not need an IELTS score to apply for further study opportunities in foreign schools. CDIC encourages students to actively prepare for language tests such as IELTS as one of the ways to promote English learning.

14. Sino-foreign cooperative education majors are taught in bilingual or full-English, what if the students' English proficiency cannot keep up? What measures does CDIC take to improve students' English proficiency?

The first-year general courses and basic courses are taught bilingually, and there are special language improvement courses. Except for ideological and political courses, the teaching, assignments, examinations, graduation defense and other processes of other courses are all in English, creating an immersive international English learning environment.

According to the bilingual cultivation experience of Chang'an University in the past ten years, as long as students can study in strict accordance with the cultivating plan, English language ability will not become an obstacle to major courses.

15. Is the learning and living environment provided for CDIC students the same as that of ordinary majors?

Chang'an University has carried out the upgrading and transformation of teaching hardware and software facilities for the students of CDIC to meet the requirements of the teaching conditions of the distinctive set courses.

In order to facilitate CDIC’s students to carry out daily social interactions with ordinary faculty’s students and participate in Chang’an university’s colorful after-school activities, the school does not have special canteens or sports facilities for students of this major.

The student dormitory is a 4-person room with air-conditioning and a separate bathroom.

16. What is the standard fee for tuition and accommodation?

The tuition fee is 65,000 yuan (RMB) per year, excluding accommodation and teaching materials. The accommodation fee is 1200 yuan (RMB) per year. (subject to the approval of Shaanxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission).

17. What kind of students are suitable for Sino-foreign cooperative projects?

If the family income allows, and if students have good basic English skills and are interested in the three majors of Civil Engineering Infrastructure, Automotive Engineering, and transport City Planning and Environmental Policy set by Chang’an university’s Sino-foreign cooperative education, or there are plans to study abroad, work overseas, or work in a domestic Sino-foreign joint venture in students’ career plan, they are more suitable for applying to Chang’an university's Sino-foreign cooperative education program.

18. What is the future plan of CDIC?

In the context of the in-depth implementation of the “The Belt and Road Initiative” and the building of “strong national transportation network ”, the original intentions of Chang’an university's Sino-foreign cooperation education are:

Aiming at national strategy and local economic and social development needs

Drawing lessons from international advanced higher education concepts

Giving full play to the advantages of double first-class discipline transportation engineering

Promoting the cultivation of high-end technology and management talents with broad international vision, complex engineering problem solving capabilities, and global competence in the field of transportation engineering. (Relying on Chang’an university’s School of Highway, School of Automobile, School of Transportation Engineering, combined with University College Dublin’s School of Civil Engineering, School of Architectural Planning and School of Environmental Policy and other superior disciplines with significant international influence)

CDIC currently offers three Sino-foreign cooperative education majors: Civil Engineering Infrastructure, automotive engineering, and transport City Planning and Environmental Policy. It will maintain a stable major setting for a certain period in the future. CDIC plans to: increase the cultivation of Post-graduate students on the basis of the current undergraduate talent cultivation; gradually expand the enrollment ratio of international students on the basis of the existing domestic student enrollment scale to further improve CDIC’s level of internationalization.