On June 8th, Xiao Fengming, President of Silicon Valley University, which is located in California, USA, visited the Ningbo Institute of Technology. Yang Jianggang, Vice President of NIT, extended a warm welcome. After a meeting in which they exchanged ideas about possible avenues for academic collaboration, they signed a Letter of Intent for Cooperation and a Student Exchange Agreement.

According to the Student Exchange Agreement, NIT students with a grade average of 70 (1.75 GPA) over three years, or with TOEFL scores of at least 61 (IELTS 5.5), can apply to Silicon Valley University for further studies in a 1st-year Masters degree program. The academic credits that students receive from Silicon Valley University, if recognized by NIT, can go toward their 4th year of study at NIT. In addition, NIT will offer a 1000 USD scholarship to qualifying students.

In a related program, NIT seniors with grade averages of at least 75 (GPA 2.5), or with TOEFL scores of 70 or higher (IELTS 6) can apply directly to Silicon Valley University for graduate studies. NIT will also offer the 1000 USD scholarships to seniors who qualify.

Silicon Valley University is a relatively new American university. However, despite its short history, it has developed a fine reputation for academic innovation and management, its excellent faculty and advanced wintellectual environment, and for its emphasis on developing students creativity.