SMITHFIELD, RI – Bryant University officially welcomed the Bryant Zhuhai class of 2021 in a Convocation ceremony on October 10. This is the third entering class at Bryant’s Zhuhai campus, which opened in fall 2015.

The Convocation program included remarks by Bryant President Ronald K. Machtley; Dr. Longsen Ye, Dean, School of Accounting and Finance, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhuhai; and David Weinstein, Founder and CEO at Write the World and Bryant Trustee. Bryant Zhuhai Dean Daniel Borgia and Associate Dean Zhiwan Zhang led students in the traditional Bryant Pledge, a shared commitment between students and the University to participate in and support the Bryant community.

The four-year program will prepare Bryant students with the global perspective that is essential for success in today’s international business environment.

Prior to Convocation, President Machtley, along with trustees and deans from Bryant Zhuhai, unveiled two murals: "Brief history of Bryant University: More than a century of excellence and innovation" and "Bryant University Hall of Fame."

Global engagement is a foundational pillar of Bryant’s strategic plan, Vision 20/20: Expanding the World of Opportunity, and China is a cornerstone of the University's international strategy. For more than a decade Bryant has advanced forward-looking education initiatives between China and the United States. Since 2005, Bryant University's U.S.-China Institute and the Confucius Institute, under the leadership of Vice President for International Affairs Hong Yang, Ph.D., have led the development of education and cultural programs between China and the United States.

In fall 2015, Bryant partnered with the Beijing Institute of Technology Zhuhai, located in Guandong Provence, China, to educate both Chinese and American students. The academic program in Zhuhai is designed to mirror Bryant’s nationally recognized curriculum vigor and quality of faculty. Classes are taught in English, and graduates will receive a Bryant University degree. The four-year program will prepare Bryant students with the global perspective that is essential for success in today’s international business environment. Bryant Zhuhai students will also have the opportunity to study at Bryant's Smithfield campus.

Bryant Zhuhai is the first private joint program where both institutions are privately run. In addition, Bryant:

• is the first and only American university with a presence in Zhuhai;
• is the first university to establish a partnership with a private institution in China;
• offers the only U.S.-China joint four-year undergraduate business degree program in China.

Guangdong Province is an important area for China’s economy, providing 10 percent of China’s total GDP, and it is the location for many of China’s innovative manufacturing operations. A 32-mile-long bridge expected to be completed this year will be Hong Kong's first connection to mainland China, linking Hong Kong to Zhuhai and Macau.