“首批广外学生以优异成绩毕业”

First GDUFS cohort graduate with outstanding results

Published 17 July 2009

The first cohort of students on the ‘2+2’ partnership degree scheme between Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS) and Lancaster University Management School have graduated.

On the 2+2 scheme, students spend their first two years at GDUFS and then transfer directly to Lancaster, where they study for two years, taking Part II courses at LUMS. They graduate with either a BSc Business Studies, or a BSc in Accounting and Finance from Lancaster.

In October 2007 the first twenty Chinese students from GDUFS arrived in Lancaster full of expectations and excitement over the second part of the journey towards their Bachelors degrees. It was about the same time when Dr Radka Newton joined the LUMS team to dedicate much of her time to looking after this special group of students – who inevitably needed a bit more support than the students who start their studies at LUMS in the first year.

“It has been an exciting journey for all of us and I cannot express in words how overwhelmed I felt seeing the first group graduating with such good results. It is the successful completion of a tough challenge for the students, their parents, their lecturers at GDUFS and also for us here at Lancaster,” said Dr Newton.

Special congratulations go to two students who achieved First Class honours degrees – Ms Jingyi Situ, BSc Business Studies and Mr Peng Xi, BSc Accounting and Finance. The rest of the group finished with very good results as well, with 40% achieving 2:1 degrees. Four of the GDUFS students are staying on in Lancaster to continue their Masters studies.

Paul Taylor, Director of the BSc Business Studies, with Jingyi Situ and Peng Xi, who both obtained First Class honours degrees.

Dr Newton held a special graduation meal for the GDUFS students, which was a relaxing and joyful occasion. The dinner was attended by the students, their families and also some GDUFS lecturers who are currently visiting Lancaster University to carry out their personal research activities.

Dr Radka Newton with some of the GDUFS/Lancaster graduates