2014 ASEAN-China University Presidents Symposium on International Cooperation Held in Guiyang

The 2014 ASEAN-China University Presidents Symposium on International Cooperation was co-organised by ASEAN-China Center (ACC), SEAMEO RIHED and E9 (9 Excellent Engineering Universities in China), and undertaken by Guizhou Institute of Technology at Guiyang International Eco-conference Center on 2 September 2014. This was one of the series of activities during the 7th China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week (CAECW), aimed at establishing a platform to enhance understanding and friendship among colleges and universities from China and ASEAN Member States, to develop more functional cooperation, and to explore new avenues for cooperation and to expand platforms in multi-dimensional areas. The representatives from 10 colleges of ASEAN countries and almost 30 Chinese colleges and universities including E9 universities attended the event. Mr. Chen Mingming, Vice Governor of Guizhou Province, ACC Secretary-General Ma Mingqiang, Mr. Long Fenjie, President of Guizhou Institute of Technology, Ms. Chantavit Sujatanond, special adviser of SEAMEO HIRED, Mr. Jiang Bo, Vice President of Tongji University and Mr. Darminto, Vice President of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, participated in the event and delivered their speeches respectively. 

Mr. Chen Hongming in his remarks highlighted the facts that China and ASEAN countries are neighbors, with huge trade and economic potentials, some similarities in terms of culture and a long history of friendship and people-to-people exchange. Education exchange provides an important and strong foundation for ASEAN and China to develop a golden decade for cooperation, realize the leap frog development, lay a solid talent resource foundation for bilateral economic and social development as well as trade. He was confident that the participants would further the cooperation with ASEAN countries in the areas of language teaching, student mobility, science innovation and skilled talents training under the theme “hand in hand, education for people” , as part of the efforts to contribute to regional mutual benefit and development.

In his remarks, Secretary-General Ma said the forum would help realize the goal of ASEAN-China on Establishing Network for Cooperation and Exchanges among Engineering and Technology Universities (ACNET-EngTech), and hoped the network could better serve ASEAN-China education exchange, promote to learn from each other in education, thus provide mental support to economic development of China and ASEAN countries.

During the symposium, the participants discussed a number of topics such as “colleges mission---engineering talents training”, “international cooperation and engineering talents training” , “science research cooperation and engineering talents training”, in particular, on the contents of cooperation. The participants reached a common consensus on course opening, staff exchange, scholarships, double diploma programme and information sharing.

At the end of the symposium, the participating colleges co-signed a joint declaration of ASEAN-China on Establishing Network for Cooperation and Exchanges among Engineering and Technology Universities (ACNET-EngTech). Secretary-General Ma also witnessed the signing ceremony.