On the morning of May 7, local time in the United States, Saint Martin’s University, a partner institution of the North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering (NCIAE), held its 2022 commencement ceremony. Graduates from the class of 2017 enrolled in the cooperative education program in Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, and Automation participated in the ceremony and degree conferral. They represent the first cohort of graduates from the collaborative program between the two universities.

Due to the pandemic, NCIAE’s leadership and relevant officials were unable to attend the ceremony in person. However, the university placed great importance on the occasion. President Han Wenzhong recorded a congratulatory video message for the ceremony, in which he expressed gratitude to Saint Martin’s University for its support and care for the students both academically and personally, and extended his best wishes to all Saint Martin’s graduates as they embarked on their future endeavors. Saint Martin’s University shared the video on its official Twitter account, where it received significant attention and positive feedback. The International Cooperation and Exchange Center, on behalf of NCIAE, also congratulated the graduates and presented them with commemorative gifts.

Among the graduates was Song Zichen, a student from the class of 2017 in the cooperative education program, who attended the ceremony and received his degree from the president of Saint Martin’s University.

Saint Martin’s University, founded in 1895, has a history spanning more than 110 years. Located in Lacey, Washington, the city is recognized as one of the safest in the western United States. The university offers over 20 undergraduate programs and six master’s degrees across its schools of business and economics, education, engineering, science and education, humanities, and social sciences. Its mechanical engineering program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). In 2016, the cooperative undergraduate program in Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, and Automation between NCIAE and Saint Martin’s University was approved by China’s Ministry of Education. Enrollment began in 2017, and in 2021, the same program at NCIAE was designated as a national first-class undergraduate program. The cooperative program follows a 3+1 model, in which students who complete their studies at Saint Martin’s University receive dual degrees from both institutions.-