ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 27--A first-of-its-kind worldwide university network
officially begins this week as top educators from Russia, Japan, China and
the U.S. meet at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology
(RIT).
Key delegates from universities in Russia, Japan, China and NTID/RIT will
sign a resolution in their respective languages committing to the partnership at 10 a.m., June 29, at NTID, LBJ Building, Room 2590.
China is the first of 10 countries to participate in the newly formed
Postsecondary Education Network International (PEN-International), a unique
effort to significantly improve education and career opportunities for the
world's 672 million deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Faculty from China's Tianjin College for the Deaf, of Tianjin University of
Technology, are at NTID this week learning the latest technologies in E-learning, voice recognition, digital video, digital imaging, web-based
software, distance learning and more.
PEN International, a five-year, $6.17 million project funded in part by The
Nippon Foundation, plans to equip deaf residents in the 10 participating countries with the skills needed to compete in a high technology workplace,
and to prepare universities to share the knowledge and instructional products they develop with other colleges.
Founded in 1962, The Nippon Foundation is one of the largest philanthropic
organiztions in the world. NTID, the first and largest technological college in the world for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, is one of eight
colleges of RIT, and offers educational programs and access and support services to 1,100 students from around the world.
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