Educational agreement: The People’s Republic of China Past and Present Established an official agreement for collaboration between The Beijing Institute of Technology and the University of South Florida. The purpose of this educational partnership is as follows: Recognizing the importance of mutual collaboration and the contributions to society made by institutions of higher education, both parties share a desire to develop mutually strengthening and enriching international educational and research experiences for both faculty and students. The primary purpose of this agreement is to provide a general basis within which specific cooperative activities of an academic and cultural nature may be implemented involving faculty and or students from USF and The Beijing Institute of Technology. Faculty and researchers in various disciplines in various disciplines will be encouraged to develop contacts and propose collaborative projects. Each project proposal will be considered on its merits and on availability of funds. The two institutions will seek internal and external sources for support of projects and exchanges, which may be developed as a result of this agreement. As specific projects in education or research, each will require a written Memorandum of Understanding (or a contract) which will set forth the terms and conditions of the project(s). These Memoranda or Contracts will be approved and signed by appropriate administrators at each institution.