USC Global Conference and Potential Partner Visits in Shanghai and Beijing
November 10, 2015

The China Initiative delegation made a first stop in Shanghai to attend the USC Global Conference and to meet with local rehabilitation organizations. In Beijing, the team met with a potential university partner, as well as government-affiliated and community rehabilitation organizations.

Representatives from the Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC) provided an overview of their academic programs. All agreed that the missions of the two institutions align well and believe in the importance of educating and developing leaders in occupational therapy. Further discussion is needed to determine the exact nature of a potential partnership (i.e., development of a dual-degree or joint degree program) as well as the degree(s) conferred. Other rehabilitation organizations have also expressed interest in partnering with the USC Chan Division for student exchanges, training courses, faculty training programs, etc.

The China Initiative delegation also met with representatives from the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine (CARM), which provides continuing education opportunities, training programs, research programs, and government assignment projects for rehabilitation professionals, including therapists. CARM also provided an overview of the current situation of occupational therapy education in Mainland China.

Delegation
USC Chan faculty members Florence Clark, Julie McLaughlin Gray, Adley Chan, Sook-Lei Liew and Linda Liang, China Initiative consultants Wenchun Qu, Yang Chai and Jin-Shei Lai, and China Initiative OTD residents Chia-Hsin Liu and Victoria Wong.

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