The 26th China International Education Conference, hosted by the China Education Association for International Exchange, was held at the National Convention Center in Beijing from October 29th to November 1st. On the afternoon of the 29th, the 6th Sino-American Provincial and State University Presidents Forum was held with the theme of “Establishing an Open and mutually learning Educational Exchange and Cooperation Platform to Promote the Exchange of teachers and students and personnel between China and the United States”. More than 130 leaders and representatives from over 70 universities and educational institutions in both China and the United States attended the forum. Liu Limin, president of the China Education Association for International Exchange, Zhao Lei, deputy director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange of the Ministry of Education of China, and Charles Welch, president of the Association of State Colleges and Universities of the United States, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Professor Zhao Jianguo, the Party Secretary and President of Bohai University, was invited as one of the main guests to attend the forum and share important viewpoints. The opening ceremony was presided over by Fu Bo, the deputy secretary-general of the China Education Association for International Exchange.
During the thematic discussion session, in response to one of the core topics, “Expanding mutual trust and exchanges between Chinese and American universities through an open and mutually learning educational exchange and cooperation platform”, Zhao Jianguo expounded his unique insights and practical thoughts on two key issues “establishing a sustainable and mutually beneficial partnership between Chinese and American institutions of higher learning” and “ensuring that the priorities and core values of both sides are respected”.
When discussing the establishment of a sustainable cooperation mechanism, Zhao Jianguo proposed three key elements: Demand orientation is the foundation, emphasizing that cooperation should be based on the complementary advantages and common goals of both sides; Mechanism construction is the guarantee, pointing out that a stable and long-term cooperation framework needs to be established; Cultural and people-to-people exchanges are at the core, and it is believed that personnel exchanges and emotional identification are the deep bonds that maintain cooperation.
In response to the issue of how to balance the core values of both sides, Zhao Jianguo expounded on the cooperation principle of “equality, inclusiveness, seeking common ground while reserving differences”, and proposed three practical paths: deepening dialogue and communication, enhancing understanding through direct high-level exchanges; Expanding the scope of cooperation and achieve the convergence of interests in diverse projects; Emphasizing the sharing of achievements and consolidate the foundation of mutual trust through substantive cooperation results.
Zhao Jianguo also shared the practical experience of Bohai University in promoting international exchanges and cooperation in education, emphasizing the school’s exploration achievements in expanding international cooperation and innovating training models. He said that universities should take the initiative to build exchange platforms, paying not only attention to institutional design but also to humanistic integration. Through multi-level and wide-ranging cooperation practices, they should promote the steady and long-term development of educational exchanges between China and the United States.
This forum provided a valuable opportunity for in-depth exchanges between representatives of Chinese and American universities. The experts attending the forum reached a number of consensations on promoting open cooperation in education. Taking this forum as an opportunity, Bohai University will further deepen practical cooperation with renowned international universities, jointly explore innovative paths for international exchanges and cooperation in education, and contribute to building a new pattern of open and inclusive international cooperation in higher education.
