From l-r: Program Advisor Luis Legaspi from UCD, Regional Director Dr. Mary McMahon from UCEAP, Vice-Povost and Professor Cindy Fan from UCLA, Associate Dean and Professor Hsiu-Zu Ho from UCEAP, Program Advisor Travis Pentz from UCB, Development Director Elizabeth Janis Perl of UCEAP, Programs Specialist May Pothongsunun of UCEAP, and Program Advisor Kim Henne from UCI (Not pictured: Professor Chia-ning Chang of UCD and Dean Rick Russo from UCB)

Hsiu-Zu Ho, Professor of Education at UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, recently led a delegation from University of California to Hong Kong to celebrate UCEAP’s 50-year partnership with the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). UCEAP also holds long-standing partnerships with the University of Hong Kong Science and Technology and University of Hong Kong for the past two decades.

As Associate Dean of the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), Dr. Ho and her UC delegates met with university administrators, faculty, staff, and students at all three partner institutions in Hong Kong to discuss strategies and innovations in international exchanges for preparing the next generation of global leaders. The celebration also included an Academic Roundtable held at CUHK with speakers including Professor and Vice-Provost Cindy Fan from UCLA and the UCEAP Study Center Director in China, Chia-ning Chang from UC Davis.

“These international partnerships are based on mutual trust, respect, and dedication to best international education practices.” Dr. Ho remarks. “In the entry foyer was a large mural display of photos of our UCEAP-CUHK student exchanges throughout the decades. We were proud of and also humbled by such displays of honor and appreciation by our partners. The celebration culminated in a gala event featuring our alumni who spoke about the transformative power of their study abroad experiences. It was indeed a most inspiring way to complete the 50th anniversary celebration.”

Hsiu-Zu Ho is Professor in the Department of Education and served as Associate Dean of the Gevirtz School, focusing on the school’s international activities, for the academic year 2013-14. Her research focuses on international education and cross-cultural psychology. She has been a CIES Fulbright Senior Scholar in Taiwan and a leader of the International Studies Special Interest Group of the American Education Research Association for the last two decades (as past president and board member). As the Associate Dean at UCEAP, Professor Ho is responsible for academic oversight and academic integration of programs in 115 partner institutions across 42 countries.