WEST LAFAYETTE, the United States -- China's Nanshan Group announced on Sept 26 that it would establish a $10-million fund in Purdue University for scholarships, training programs, research and development.

Nanshan Group, one of China's top 500 enterprises, will give Purdue $2 million annually over the next five years to help educate its personnel through international programs at the school, ranging from engineering to hotel management. It will also help promote exchanges between the company-invested Yantai Nanshan University and Purdue University.

"The Purdue-Nanshan relationship is an example of how higher education and corporate worlds can work together to meet mutually beneficial goals," Purdue University President France Cordova said at a signing ceremony attended by representatives from both parties.

"This relationship will benefit the current workforce of Nanshan Group and Yantai Nanshan University, as well as provide Purdue with opportunities for our faculty and staff and students to be engaged with one of the most successful companies in China," Cordova said.

Nanshan America Company President Lijun Du also expressed his confidence in the new partnership, saying he looked forward to enhancing the research of Yantai Nanshan University through its connection with Purdue's College of Science, School of Management and other faculties.

Established in 1978, Nanshan Group has developed into a large-scale private joint-stock enterprise covering the industries of aluminum, textiles and garments, finance, real estate, tourism and education. It has established overseas branches in Australia, the United States, Canada and Italy.