The University of Massachusetts (UMass) recently signed an agreement with the Chinese government to make its online classes available online. Their recent press release reports:

"Under the agreement, signed in Beijing, officials from UMass and from China's Continuing Education Association (CCEA) and the CerEdu Corporation will work together to make UMassOnline, the University's award-winning distance education program, available to students throughout China.

Plans call for UMassOnline to offer credit and non-credit courses, certificate programs, and degree programs from all five UMass campuses - through online and face to face programs - throughout China. Forty UMassOnline courses, four certificate programs, and one master's degree program could be made available in China within a year."

This is the first agreement between a U.S. college and the Chinese government. Should the programs be successful, more online colleges may be encouraged to offer their services abroad.