On April 28th, a delegation of universities and higher education organizations (HEOs) from southeast Asian countries visited University of Sanya (USY) and held roundtable discussions in order to promote higher education cooperation between USY and universities from southeast Asian countries. Each side reached a consensus and signed MoUs. The following officers and representatives of 7 universities from southeast Asian countries attended the meeting: Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Higher Education and Development (SEAMEO RIHED); Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport Office, Cambodia; Higher Education Department, Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam; Education Culture and Tourism Division of ASEAN-China Centre; and Division of International Cooperation and Exchange, Department of Education of Hainan Province. Prof. Lu Dan, President of USY, Zoe Che, Vice President of USY and heads of related schools and International Department presented at the conference.
Meeting Site
The visit to USY paid by universities and HEOs from southeast Asian countries is a new pattern promoting collaboration between countries concerning education, culture and tourism under the guidance of ASAEN-China Centre. It is also an innovative initiative designed to expand people-to-people exchanges between China and southeast Asian countries. Since the construction of “the Belt and Road” Education Community and China-Pakistan Education Corridor, the visit given by universities and HEOs is also a new measure for USY to explore internationalization, which will definitely contribute to ASEAN-China educational development.
Welcoming address by Prof. Lu Dan, President of USY
At the meeting, Prof. Lu Dan, President of USY, on behalf of University of Sanya, personally delivered a welcoming address. He expressed that China and the ASEAN countries should cooperate more and have more frequent people-to-people exchanges due to their similar natural environment and geographical location. USY has been a perfect evidence of China’s rapid pace of development. We are the beneficiaries of China’s Reform and Development, so we are passionate about building a university and possess enthusiasm for education. We expect to establish close partnerships with universities from southeast Asian countries. Prof. Lu expressed the idea that USY, as a younger institution of higher education, not only ardently desires and demands to experience globalization, but also considers globalization as its responsibilities and mission. He hopes that universities from southeast Asian countries will seize the opportunity to strengthen cooperation with each other and create more opportunities for the younger generation in order to expand the scope of collaboration and to make a greater contribution to regional development.
Speech by Ms. Phunyanuch Pattanotai, Program Director of SEAMEO RIHED
On behalf of the SEAMEO RIHED and delegation, Ms. Phunyanuch Pattanotai, the Program Director of SEAMEO RIHED, expressed heartfelt gratitude to USY for the visit. She said, as a regional intergovernmental international organization, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) plays an important role in higher education for southeast Asia and is committed to promoting educational, scientific and cultural cooperation among southeast Asian countries. The visit to USY was impressive, and they would like to work together to seek more common cooperative opportunities and possibilities. She believed that universities from southeast Asian countries and University of Sanya definitely will find more common interest in order to develop multilevel cooperation.
Roundtable discussion with representatives exchanging ideas
The delegation comprised of representatives from Chulalongkorn University, Srinakharinwirot University, North Eastern University, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Gunadarma University, Savannakhet University and Mandalar Degree College, as well as officers from educational departments in Cambodia and Vietnam. At the meeting, representatives respectively summarized their basic situation and ideas concerning the international education cooperation. Furthermore, they held in-depth roundtable discussions and reached a tentative consensus about collaborative opportunities and programs.
Signing ceremony
After the meeting, Prof. Lu Dan met with representatives of universities and HEOs from Thailand, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Cambodia, and signed MoUs and minutes on the close cooperation of student and faculty exchange programs, collaborative research, and the joint development of degree programs and collaborative scientific research.
Group Photo
(International Department)