« Some Holiday Shopping Tips for You Guys. | Main | Gold Hits Another High! »
GIA Goes Global.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) inaugurated its new Taiwan branch during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 17. GIA graduates and guests from across Taiwan attended the ceremony.
Similar to the institute’s relocation in London, GIA Taiwan moved across the street to a larger location that provides room for more classrooms, ceremonies and meetings. The Taiwan campus opened in 1991 and has increased its student enrollments, so much so that a new 5,500 square foot facility was required to meet the demand.
The new campus comprises of four classrooms. Two classrooms are dedicated to the on campus graduate gemologist diploma program, one is for jewelry design and CAD/CAM classes, and another is for extension classes and student labs.
In other related news, the GIA held its first ever GIA Pearl Grading Extension class in Sri Lanka on September 10. It was the GIA’s first instruction in Sri Lanka and was attended by 18 students. GIA Thailand’s Manager of Gemology Education, Surachart Panjathammawit, taught the class.
“Sri Lankans are tremendously excited about the Institute’s renowned hands-on gemological training,” said GIA Thailand Director Randy Parks, who also indicated that the institute will soon teach additional extension classes in diamond grading, gem identification, and colored stone grading in Sri Lanka.
