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Dr. WU Qidi, Vice Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China Visits UTHSC-H
Her Excellency, the vice minister of education of the People’s Republic of China, Dr. WU Qidi invited Dr. Hui-Ming Chang for a meeting on August 25, 2004 to discuss higher education in United States and China. As a result of this meeting, Dr.WU Qidi led a delegation from the Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China to visit the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the Office of International Programs on December 2, 2005. Accompanying the vice minister were Dr. ZHANG Yaoxue (director general of the Department of Higher Education), Mr. WANG Yajie (deputy director of the Department of Graduate Education), Mr. WANG Jiping (deputy director of the Department of Vocational Education), Mr. YANG Jun (director of Division of American and Oceanian Affairs) and Ms. ZHAO Jing (secretary to the vice minister). The delegation was greeted by James T. Willerson, MD (president, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston ) and Richard W. Wainerdi, PhD (president, chief executive officer and chief operating officer, Texas Medical Center). In a round-table discussion, President Willerson and UTHSC-H’s leadership introduced the University and its six schools to the Vice Minister. Subsequently, President Wainerdi spoke about the Texas Medical Center and the vice minister spoke about China’s educational system. UTHSC-H executives and deans from their respective schools and/or representatives included:
Michael McKinney, MD senior executive vice president & chief operating officer	L. Maximilian Buja, MD executive vice president for academic affairs
Bruce Butler, PhD assistant vice president for research and technology	S. Ward Casscells, MD vice president for biotechnology
Catherine Flaitz, DDS dean, Dental Branch	Charles W. McClain assistant to President Willerson
Dianna Milewicz, MD, PhD director, vice chair of internal medicine professor and President George Bush chair in cardiovascular medicine	C. Gwin Morris, PhD vice president for public affairs
Guy S. Parcel, PhD dean, School of Public Health	Jack W. Smith, MD, PhD dean, School of Health Information Sciences
George M. Stancel, PhD dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences	Patricia L. Stark, DSN, RN, FAAN dean, School of Nursing
Henry W. Strobel, PhD professor, associate dean for faculty affairs and assistant dean for student affairs
Also present at the event were representatives from the consulate general of The People’s Republic of China in Houston including Mr. ZHA Weiping (consul and director, Education office), Mr. LU Peiming (consul, Education Office) and Mr. WU Shixing (consul, Education Office). Afterwards, the delegation visited the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences hosted by representatives of the GSBS:
George M. Stancel, PhD dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences	Linda Carter development officer, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Thomas J. Goka, PhD assistant dean for outreach and minority affairs	Victoria P. Knutson, PhD assistant dean for admissions
Jon R. Wiener, PhD assistant dean for academic affairs	Carrie Ma, MBA project manager, extramural programs, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Edward T. Yeh, MD chairman and professor, Department of Cardiology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center director, The Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Changping Zou, MD, PhD associate professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Arizona
Following the visit to GSBS, the delegation met with Denton A. Cooley, MD (president and surgeon-in-chief, Texas Heart Institute, clinical professor of surgery at the UT Medical School at Houston ) who introduced and discussed the Texas Heart Institute. Dr. Cooley guided the vice minister and the delegation through the Wallace D. Wilson Museum and shared some personal stories behind the items on display. Mr. Marc C. Mattson (chief executive officer, Texas Heart Institute) also met with the vice minister. As part of her trip to Houston, the minister also spoke at the Houston World Affairs Council’s forum ‘Building Educational Bridges Between the United States and China.’
August 25,2004
Vice President Chang (left) meets with Vice Minister WU Qidi (right)
December 2, 2005
(top left to right) Mr. YANG Jun, Deputy Director WANG Jiping, Dr. ZOU Changping, Director General ZHANG Yaoxue, Deputy Director WANG Yajie, Dean Jack Smith, Dean Catherine Flaitz, Dr. Henry Strobel, Dean Guy Parcel, Consul ZHA Weiping, Dr. Dianna Milewicz, Dr. Bruce Butler, Vice President C.Gwin Morris, Ms. ZHAO Jing, Consul LU Peiming, Consul WU Shixing (front left to right) Dean Patricia Starck, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Michael McKinney, Vice Minister WU Qidi, President. James T. Willerson, VP Hui-Ming Chang
(left to right)VP Chang, President Wainerdi, Vice Minister WU Qidi, President Willerson, Senior Executive VP & COO McKinney	(left to right) VP Chang, President Wainerdi, Vice Minister WU Qidi, President Willerson
President Willerson introduces the administration to the Vice Minister	President Wainerdi speaks about the Texas Medical Center
(left to right)VP Chang, President Willerson, Vice MinisterWU Qidi	(left to right) Dean Parcel, Vice Minister WU Qidi
(left to right) Executive VP Buja, Dr. Butler, Consul WU, Consul Peming	(left to right) VP Chang, President Wainerdi, Vice Minister WU
(left to right) Vice Minister WU Qidi, President Willerson	(left to right) Consul WU, Consul LU, Deputy Director WANG Jiping, Deputy Director WANG Yajie
(left to right) VP Morris, General McClain, Dr. Milewicz	(left to right) Dean Flaitz, Vice Minister WU Qidi
(left to right) Dean Smith, Director General ZHANG	(left to right) Dean Stancel, Dr. Zou Director General. ZHANG
(left to right) Dean Starck, Consul ZHA	(left to right) Dr. Strobel, Dean Stancel, Dean Smith, Director General ZHANG
(left to right) President Wainerdi, Consul LU, Vice Minister WU Qidi	(left to right) Consul ZHA, Dean Parcel, Vice President Morris
(left to right )President Willerson, Senior Executive VP& COO McKinney, Consul ZHA	(left to right) Mr. YANG, Ms. ZHAO, Dean Starck, Dean Flaitz
Dean Stancel gives presentation on the GSBS to the delegation.	(left to right) Dr. Yeh, Dr. Goka, Vice Minister WU, Dr. Wiener, Dr. Knutson, Dean Stancel
(left to right) President Cooley, Vice Minister WU Qidi	(left to right) Vice Minister WU Qidi, VP Chang, President Cooley
President Cooley (left) shows the observation deck to Vice Minister WU Qidi (center) with Dr.Yeh (right)	(left to right) VP Chang, President Cooley, Vice Minister WU Qidi, Dr. Yeh