TECC addresses two key concerns:
1) In recent years, China has emerged as a driving force in the world economy and large cities along the eastern coast, such as Beijing and Shanghai, have fueled this prosperity. However, inland agricultural regions, which are home to approximately 70 percent of China’s population, have largely missed out on this economic growth. Many regions suffer from grave poverty and poor educational opportunities. Education is key to addressing this socioeconomic gap, but many past efforts to improve education have been hampered by lack of funding or long-term continuity.
2) With China’s emergence as a global leader, cross-cultural exchange and understanding between the US and China has never been more critical, particularly among future leaders. Numerous exchange programs help bridge this cultural gap, but students rarely have the opportunity to actually collaborate on meaningful, substantive projects.