Students in China aspiring to do courses in different aspects of gems and jewellery will now have the option to either enrol for on-campus learning or join a distance education programme. This follows the decision of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to add distance education programmes, including student workrooms, to the on-campus courses it already offers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU).

Courses already available in China at SITU are GIA’s Graduate Gemologist (GG), Jewelry Design, accelerated Graduate Diamonds and accelerated Graduate Colored Stones programmes. Now, prospective students will now also have access to GIA education programmes through distance education.

 “Education is the cornerstone of GIA’s mission to ensure the public trust in gems and jewellery, and this initiative with SJTU brings us a step closer to providing more accessible gem and jewellery education to students around the world,” said Duncan Pay, vice president and chief academic officer.

“Offering distance education courses in addition to our successful eight years of on-campus programmes will provide more choices for jewellery practitioners and enthusiasts in China,” said Shi Jian, director of the jewelry and fashion industry research center of SJTU.

The first GIA program offered at SJTU was the GG in 2011. The offering expanded in 2012 to include the Jewelry Design, accelerated Graduate Diamonds and accelerated Graduate Colored Stones programs. SJTU has hosted 15 resident GG programs and 12 Jewelry Design courses since 2011. More than 500 students have graduated from these programs at SJTU with diplomas from GIA.