The Center for Transportation Studies, Global Transit Innovations, and the China Center's Mingda Institute for Leadership Training co-organized the Urban Planning and Transportation Management Summer Training Program from July 16 to August 16, 2018. Sixteen students from Southeast University, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Nanjing Forest University, and Nanjing Technology University participated in this program.
Offered for the third time, the program combined exceptional resources with distinguished University of Minnesota faculty to provide a great study abroad opportunity for the students. The program was delivered through lectures and professional field trips, dedicated to expanding the students’ global vision in the urban planning field and to enhancing their cross-cultural competence. The program included multiple modules of classes: Introduction to Urban Planning, Geographic Information Science, Transportation Infrastructure Tour, and a variety of professional seminars.
A Humphrey School faculty member and a China Center staff member then led the group on a one-week field trip to three other Midwestern cities. This is the first year the program has led a field trip to cities outside of Minnesota to help students understand the cultural differences and the beauty of Midwestern cities. The students visited Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago to see the diversity in city planning, architectural design, and other landmarks, such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the historical areas of Milwaukee, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
