Sixth China-New Zealand Higher Education Forum Successfully Held in Auckland
Publish Date: 2024-05-29 | Visits: 690
On May 27, the Sixth China-New Zealand Higher Education Forum was held in Auckland. The forum was co-hosted by the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) and Universities New Zealand (UNZ), with support from Education New Zealand (ENZ). TANG Jun, Education Counselor from the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, read a congratulatory letter from Ambassador WANG Xiaolong. Penny Simmonds, New Zealand Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland, and FU Bo, Deputy Secretary-General of CEAIE, delivered opening remarks. About 80 representatives from Chinese and New Zealand universities attended the forum. Before the event, Minister Simmonds warmly greeted Chinese university presidents.
In his congratulatory letter, Ambassador Wang Xiaolong noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-New Zealand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with educational cooperation being a highlight of the practical and cultural exchanges between the two countries. He expressed hope for closer joint research in key disciplines, fostering innovation and breakthroughs in science and technology, and expanding exchange programs to cultivate future scientists and high-level talents.
Minister Penny Simmonds emphasized the historical ties between the peoples of both countries, from Rewi Alley's arrival in China to the first Chinese immigrant, Appo Hocton, in 1842. Today, 250,000 Chinese people consider New Zealand their second home. The education ministries of both countries prioritize cooperation, maintaining policy dialogue and information exchange. The China-New Zealand Three Brothers Cooperation Project has conducted significant research in areas such as cancer research, digital governance in education, and local language preservation, playing a crucial role in these fields. CEAIE is one of New Zealand's key international partners in education.
Dawn Freshwater stated that the University of Auckland is part of the China-New Zealand Three Brothers Cooperation Project, and China is the largest source of international students for the university. The University of Auckland's 2030 vision is to pursue excellence, supporting collaboration in teaching and research to help students expand their international perspectives and seek solutions to global issues such as climate change, food security, poverty alleviation, and promoting equity.
Fu Bo pointed out that no country can face global challenges like climate change and sustainable development alone. China and New Zealand have conducted extensive and in-depth cooperation in talent cultivation, scientific research, and cultural exchange, with complementary advantages and shared interests. CEAIE will continue to build platforms with Universities New Zealand to deepen cooperation mechanisms, enhance the level of collaboration, and jointly cultivate more innovative talents to tackle global challenges, contributing to the sustainable development of society.
In the panel discussion, representatives from Hunan University, University of Waikato, Lanzhou University, Lincoln University, Xidian University, Maurice Wilkins Centre, and Renmin University of China shared their practices and experiences on the importance of international cooperation among universities, supporting the development of young researchers, and promoting collaborative research. They offered suggestions for strengthening educational cooperation and high-quality research partnerships. Participants agreed that universities in China and New Zealand are important partners, and consolidating and exploring more cooperation is crucial for strengthening long-term educational and research relationships.
Fu Bo concluded by expressing hope for the normalization of China-New Zealand dialogue and communication to ensure the sustainability of exchanges. She suggested shifting towards in-depth joint cultivation of talents and high-level research collaboration to address global problems and challenges through comprehensive, multi-level, and interdisciplinary cooperation.
Chris Whelan, CEO of Universities New Zealand, highlighted in his summary that all eight public universities in New Zealand rank in the top 3% globally according to QS rankings, with high research paper citation rates, largely resulting from international cooperation. China-New Zealand educational exchanges contribute to addressing global challenges and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.
The delegation also visited the Maurice Wilkins Centre, where they were briefed on its cooperation with China and toured the laboratory.
This forum was a key event during Chinese University Delegation’s visit to New Zealand. The delegation comprised senior representatives from 21 leading Chinese universities. This was the and largest Chinese university delegation to visit New Zealand since the COVID-19 pandemic.
(By the Department of International Cooperation)