Bridging Cultures and Creating Courses: A Collaborative Journey with Jilin University

Written by Nan Zhang, Digital Education Specialist in the Digital Education Team.

It was a great honour for the Learning and Teaching Academy to be involved in an international collaboration over the past two weeks. This initiative represents an important transnational education (TNE) connection with the backing of the BLS College, PVC Steve Riley, and the International Office. Members of our digital education team – Owen, Jordan, Andrew, Lewis and I – worked over four afternoons to share Cardiff’s course development practices and facilitate the co-creation of a brand new CPD course in collaboration with the School of Medicine and distinguished delegates from The Third Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin Province, China.

This collaboration demonstrates our capacity to produce courses collaboratively and efficiently, with possibilities for future international partnerships. These courses could be franchised to educators at Jilin University and other partner institutions, helping to establish Cardiff’s reputation for responsive, high-quality collaborative course development in the medical education space.

What we did

We delivered four workshops over four afternoons, working intensively with eight visiting delegates alongside clinical colleagues from Cardiff and translators to support the sessions.

We introduced the ABC curriculum design methodology – an approach we use for course mapping that provides a visual, collaborative way to plan learning activities.

For the practical activity, delegates used ABC cards to map out an existing CPD course. They identified their topic: Ultrasound Guided Interventions – an area where they recognised both expertise and clear need within their hospital context.

Over subsequent sessions, we showcased high-quality video resources including 360-degree videos and immersive learning using 360-degree images. We guided them through developing learning objectives for Biopsy Procedures, where my Chinese language skills proved unexpectedly valuable in keeping groups on track when discussions naturally shifted to Chinese during detailed medical topics.

We introduced storyboarding techniques and explored the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, which sparked interesting conversations. Whilst UDL is widely discussed in the UK, it’s not as prominent in Chinese educational discourse, where conversations focus more on special education policy.

By the end, we completed storyboards and created an outline course structure on Learning Central and XERTE. The delegates were extremely impressed with the speed at which we managed to put a course together collaboratively.

The challenges

Working across cultures and disciplines presented fascinating challenges. Some delegates weren’t regularly involved in teaching, so we needed to scaffold pedagogical concepts alongside content creation. The delegates were intrigued to learn about our role explaining that whilst they have technical support departments in China, there isn’t really an equivalent team integrating educational theory, curriculum design, and technology holistically.

Reflections and looking forward

The collaboration has proven we can produce courses collaboratively and efficiently under time constrains. We’ve identified real opportunities for knowledge exchange, as the absence of dedicated learning design teams in many Chinese institutions creates potential for collaborative course development.

The initial project has laid strong foundations – not just the biopsy course we’ve created, but a model of international collaboration valuing both clinical expertise and educational design.

If you’re offering CPD activity that could be supported by a member of the digital education or wider LTA team please reach out to LTA. To discuss the provision of CPD activity in general, please contact: train@cardiff.ac.uk.