At the April 12 Governing Board meeting, Associate Professor and Department Chair of the college’s Child Development program, Jenny Fererro spoke about Palomar’s plans to expand its international student body with a new “2+1+2 Program.”

This new program will allow Chinese students to further their Early Childhood Development experience.

“The goal is…two years at a college in China, one year here at Palomar, and two years at a Cal State University. Then (they would) return to China with a bachelor’s degree and associate’s degree,” Fererra said to the Board.

Creating a program like this is not new for the college level, but Palomar would be one of the first community college’s expanding on a program of this nature.

“There is a very strong partnership with Mon Sheong Teacher’s College…it would be a really great opportunity for our college to expand our international student programs in a way that would allow a core group of students to come together and focus on a particular program,” Ferrero said.

Palomar officials are working hard to make this program worth while and are currently cycling through different agreements with various Cal State schools in California.

“We are trying to develop partnerships with schools in China,” Interim President Adrian Gonzalez said while concluding the discussion.

Ferrero was unable to give a time period on when this project would come to fruition but will actively update the Board as needed.