HAYS, Kan. -- A delegation from Gansu Province in China is visiting Hays to sign a partnership agreement with Fort Hays State University.

The delegation arrived today from the Northwest University of Nationalities in Langzhou, China, and will stay through Sunday. They are Professor Ma Jinquan, executive president, Qi Weiquan, director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Division, and Professor Ma Zhongren, deputy dean of the Life Science School.

FHSU will become the first American university to participate within Gansu Province. All 55 of the minority groups in China are represented at the Northwest University of Nationalities. FHSU has more than 3,000 students enrolled at partner universities in China, but this will be the partner university with easily the most ethnic minorities.

Under the agreement, Chinese students from NWUN will come to FHSU as on-campus students. Most will come as English-as-a-Second-Language students and, after completing the program, will remain at FHSU to earn Bachelor of General Studies degrees and other bachelor's degrees. If their English level is high enough, they may come to FHSU and immediately begin the BGS degree program.

FHSU has 190 Chinese students on the Hays campus this spring and 3,200 students in China.

The signing ceremony for a Framework Agreement and an Agreement for Study Abroad will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.