On November 11, a six-member delegation led by Gracia Villar Santos, President of the Ibero-American University Foundation, visited Bohai University for in-depth discussions on deepening educational cooperation and expanding exchange initiatives. The delegation included Rubén Calderón Iglesias, President of Atlantic European University (Spain), and Luis Alonso Zurita López, President of the International Iberoamerican University (Mexico), accompanied by Chen Dong, General Manager of Uthink Education Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. They were warmly received by Zhao Jianguo, Deputy Party Secretary and President of Bohai University, and Pan Dechang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President.
During the meeting, President Zhao Jianguo extended a sincere welcome to President Gracia Villar Santos and the delegation. He emphasized that Bohai University consistently adheres to an educational philosophy of “openness, inclusiveness, and mutual benefit,” highly values exchanges and cooperation with global universities and institutions, and is committed to advancing faculty and student mobility, scientific research collaboration, and cultural development. He expressed hope to build a stable bridge of cooperation with the Ibero-American University Foundation, injecting new vitality into educational and cultural exchanges between China and the Ibero-American region.
President Gracia Villar Santos introduced the Foundation’s development vision and resource advantages, expressing a strong willingness to engage in comprehensive and substantive cooperation with Bohai University. He noted that China and the Ibero-American region together account for over a quarter of the world’s population and share common ground in family values and social concepts, forming a solid cultural and humanistic foundation for partnership. He added that China has a longstanding history of cooperation with Spain and Mexico, and that deepening ties with Bohai University not only continues this legacy but also aligns with the Belt and Road Initiative, contributing meaningfully to multicultural exchange. President Santos specifically highlighted Bohai University as “a friendly, respectable, and reliable partner,” expressing full confidence and anticipation for future collaboration.
Since signing their first cooperation agreement in 2024, Atlantic European University and Bohai University have achieved notable progress in faculty-student exchanges and joint training programs. President Rubén Calderón Iglesias spoke highly of these outcomes and announced that a deeper cooperation agreement will soon be signed, elevating the partnership to a new strategic level.
President Luis Alonso Zurita López, who first visited Bohai University in May this year, noted that this reunion further strengthened mutual trust and consolidated shared understanding. Both sides confirmed that a memorandum of cooperation will be signed shortly, paving the way for collaboration in faculty and student exchanges, academic cooperation, and other areas.
During the open discussion session, representatives from both sides held in-depth talks on key topics including joint academic research, cross-cultural exchange platforms, and capacity building for teachers and students, reaching several preliminary cooperation consensuses.
The successful meeting not only enhanced mutual understanding between Bohai University and Ibero-American educational institutions but also laid a solid foundation for implementing future cooperative projects. Moving forward, Bohai University will seize this opportunity to further expand its international network, enrich cooperation content, and contribute new momentum to educational and cultural exchanges between China and the Ibero-American region.
