"Two Way Approach to Internationalization" Achieving Another Key Breakthrough: Zhang Xichun, Chancellor of SCUT, Attends the China-New Zealand Education Development Forum and Signs an Agreement
The China-New Zealand Education Development Forum
On the morning of June 13th local time, Chinese Premier of the State Council Li Qiang began his official visit to New Zealand at the invitation. As a significant accompanying event to this visit, on the 14th, China and New Zealand jointly organized the China-New Zealand Education Development Forum. The forum outlined the focus areas and paths forward for education cooperation between the two countries, aiming to elevate bilateral education collaboration and cultural exchanges to better serve the comprehensive strategic partnership between Chinaand New Zealand. Chinese Premier Li Qiang and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon attended the closing ceremony of the forum and delivered speeches. Over 160 educators, including Chinese Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng, NZ Ministerfor Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds, Chancellor of South ChinaUniversity of Technology (SCUT) Zhang Xichun, and Vice-Chancellor of theUniversity of Canterbury (UC) Cheryl de la Rey, were also present at the forum.
Li said that educational cooperation has long been an important aspect of China-New Zealand relations. The breadth and depth of this cooperation have continuously expanded, yielding significant results in talent cultivation, joint scientific research and academic exchange. The new round of scientific and technological revolution is profoundly changing the way of human production and life, andeducation is facing higher requirements in terms of reform and innovation. Therefore, the educational communities of China and New Zealand should cooperate more closely.
Premier Li pointed out that universities in China and New Zealand have always been playing an important role in promoting educational exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. He expressed his hope that the educational communities of the two countries will focus on the direction of the world's technological revolution and industrial transformation, advance high-level joint scientific research and the training of high-level talents in key frontier areas, thereby providing more scientific and technological support as well as talent support for the future development of both countries. It is hoped that they will also focus on the common challenges faced by human society, strengthen collaborative efforts in areas such as climate change, green energy, and health, and make more positive contributions to the sustainable development of China, NewZealand, and the world at large, Li said, adding that he hopes they will also focus on the actual educational needs of the two peoples and carry out morepractical cooperation projects that benefit a wide range of teachers and students. He also called for enhancing mutual learning and people-to-peopleties through friendly and sincere exchanges.
SCUT and UC Singed the Cooperation Agreement
At the forum, witnessed by Chinese Minister Huai Jinpeng and NZ Minister Penny Simmonds, Zhang Xichun represented SCUT to sign the cooperation agreement for the "International Cooperation Joint Laboratory on Smart Healthcare Automation" with Cherylde la Rey. Huai Jinpeng introduced the outcomes of the forum to the Chinese and New Zealand Prime Ministers, fully affirming this cooperation.
The International Cooperation Joint Laboratory on Smart Healthcare Automation aims to integrate interdisciplinary research in healthcare and AI, contributing new strengths to scientific innovation to better benefit humanity. The establishment of this bilateral joint research platform marks a significant breakthrough for SCUT in promoting international cooperation. It also embodies an active exploration of China's strategy for educational opening up, combining high-quality "bring in" and high-level "go global" initiatives. Both universities will utilize the joint laboratory as a platform to establish offshore innovation centers, gather high-quality resources domestically and internationally, promote the bilateral conversion of research achievements, facilitate two-way exchanges of talents and technology, and strive to create a model ofcooperative research between China and New Zealand.
Speech by Zhang Xichun
During the roundtable discussion, Zhang Xichun delivered a keynote speech on "The Role of Higher Education in Developing the Innovative Economy and Increasing Productivity." He emphasized that SCUT adheres to integrating development to promote growth, forming the "SCUT Model" with strong technological support for industrial strength. First, SCUT has promoted the integration ofindustry and education to boost the innovative economy with high-standard research and development. Second, SCUT has enhanced interdisciplinary synergy to promote industrial upgrading with high-level transformation. Third, SCUT has emphasized innovation-oriented education to empower industrial upgrading withhigh-caliber talents. He pointed out that as SCUT promotes mutual reinforcement between "Internationalization at Home" and "Two Way Approach to Internationalization," the development of educational openness is increasingly highlighted. On one hand, SCUT explores new models for the development of global engineering in higher education, focusing on promoting“Internationalization at Home” at the Guangzhou International Campus (GZIC) and implementing teaching and research systems equivalent to those of world-class universities. On the other hand, SCUT contributes new strengths to scientific innovation to better benefit humanity, expands international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, and strives to achieve synergistic advancement in education, science and technology, and social services going global.
Photo with UC’s Leadership Team
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to New Zealand and the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership betweenthe two countries. Chinese Premier Li Qiang's visit to New Zealand will carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote common development. Education and cultural exchanges play a crucialrole in China-New Zealand bilateral relations and play a driving role inupgrading the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Rooted in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and looking globally, SCUT isvigorously advancing the opening-up of education. This substantive cooperation with New Zealand universities will effectively promote bilateral educationaland scientific research collaboration, better empowering the development of new quality productive forces in China and globally.
The SCUT delegation included the Directors and relevant representatives from the Institute of Science and Technology, Office of Teaching Affairs in GZIC, and the Shien-Ming Wu School of Intelligent Engineering.
Translator: Yaxin Zhang
Initial Proofreader: Sheng Gao
Final Proofreader: Zhaosheng Wu