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Hands across the water -- Mid Plains partners with community college in England
NORTH PLATTE -- Mid-Plains Community College "broadened the scope of the new global society" this week when it met with representatives from North Lindsey College in England to sign a Global Education Partnership Ag-reement designed to "develop the academic cooperation, exchange and development of relationships among students, faculty, administration, and board members of the two colleges under the principle of reciprocity and mutual benefits."
"This is the pinnacle of outreach to a greater world beyond our traditional borders," said Dr. Michael Chipps, President of MPCC, at the MPCC Board of Governors meeting Wednesday at North Platte Community College.
"We are excited at the prospect of providing learning opportunities in a global environment," he said. "It is clear that if our constituency wishes to be major players' in future human and economic affairs of the new society, MPCC needs to be a leader in providing the learning opportunities required to navigate the global marketplace of ideas and presence."
Primarily, the partnership between the two colleges consists of the development of an action plan that will include offering exchange opportunities for learning, teaching, and leadership to students, faculty, staff, administrators, and board members. To that end, Professor Roger Bennett, Principal (institutional CEO) of North Lindsey College, along with Mr. Kevin Clarke, Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning, and Mr. Paul Townsley, Director of Technology and Skills, are spending time at MPCC this week, touring the facilities, exchanging information and visiting with those at the college.
"The partnership with MPCC is a fantastic opportunity for us to be able to give students a global education whilst they are still in the classroom," Professor Bennett said. "It was an opportunity not to be missed."
Bennett added that he is "hugely impressed" with the facilities at the college and also by the friendly greetings the group has received since they've been in Nebraska.
The idea for a partnership between the two colleges came last April when Professor Bennett and Dr. Chipps met at an American Association of Community Colleges convention.
"Our new Global Education Partnership is the fruition of those almost providential conversations," said Dr. Chipps.
The next steps in the process are currently being taken and it is expected that exchanges between the college's students, faculty, and staff will begin in the very near future.
MPCC officials have also indicated that this new partnership is just the first of more to come.
"We are pleased that we have implemented our new relationship with North Lindsey College. This opportunity may open other doors around the world to ensure that the college family has ample opportunities to learn about our global neighbors and how we can interact to ensure our prosperous economic future," said Dr. Chipps.