In the afternoon of Nov. 20th, 2007, the "Signing Ceremony of Collaboration in Education Articulation Agreement between Central Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music" was held in CCOM. The participants include Prof. Wang Cizhao, the President of CCOM, Dr. Robert Sirota, the President of MSM, Prof. Yuan Jingfang, the Dean of Distance Learning of CCOM, Prof. Zhao Yishan, the Dean of Academic Administration, Prof. Liu Hongzhu, the Deputy Director of President's Office, and Mr. Richard Elder Adams, the Vice President of MSM, Ms. Christianne Orto, the Assistant Dean of Distance Learning of MSM. The collaborative agreement mainly include following contents: exchange faculty members of two institutions for short-term research or teaching programs; send faculty members of two institutions to have advanced study in specialized field; share curriculum materials and exchange the musical materials between two institutions; hold academic conferences irregularly, etc.
Before signing the agreement, the presidents of two schools delivered speeches brimming with warm feelings. President Wang Cizhao first mentioned that the professors and students of two schools have arranged many academic, teaching and cultural exchange activities in these years. And he believes that the establishment of formal intercollegiate exchange agreement will promote the relationship between Central Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music to a higher level. At the end, President Wang appreciated the efforts of Ms. Na Rong, the alumni of CCOM and Doctor Candidate of MSM currently, at the communications between two schools.
The President of MSM, Dr. Sirota also approved the fruitful achievements obtained through exchange activities between two schools. Consequently, the establishment of formal relationship is a natural result based on earlier activities. He truly believes that, in the twenty-first century, the centre of music profession will be moved from Europe and American to Asia; and China will be the centre of Asia. Then he further emphasized that, when we talk about China, we are really talking about Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in the context of music profession. Therefore, in such an important historical moment, CCOM has a great opportunity and also a profound responsibility to contribute to the development of music profession. At the final note, President Sirota said, "We hope to be useful partners and also eager students of what you do here. We sign this agreement with great seriousness and great enthusiasm."
Two presidents clearly expressed their sincerely enthusiasm for the coming collaboration in their speeches. The other representatives from both sides also expressed their desire to develop the distance learning program as complementary partners and extend the collaborative projects to wider academic range, especially to the music technical training field, such as sight-singing and ear-training course.
In the end, President Wang Cizhao and President Robert Sirota, on behalf of Central Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music respectively, signed the "Collaboration in Education Articulation Agreement between Central Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music," and exchanged presents.
