News & Events

Contributed by: Office of International Exchange and Cooperation | Edited by: Liu Ye | Preliminary Review: Wei Xinqiang | Final Review: Liang Lili Date: May 07, 2024

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List of Chinese Universities in China-Africa Higher Education Cooperation Plan

Our university has been named the sole institution from Henan Province to join the "China-Africa Higher Education Cooperation Plan" and the "China-Africa University Alliance" exchange mechanism, per a list released on May 6 by the China Association of Higher Education.

The "China-Africa Higher Education Cooperation Plan" marks a significant step in realizing President Xi Jinping's ambitious vision for the "China-Africa Talent Training Cooperation Plan" proposed at the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. This plan aims to establish a robust platform for inter-university exchanges, propelling the advancement of higher education across both regions. This plan was initiated by the Ministry of Education, with the China Association of Higher Education tasked with its implementation. In partnership with the Association of African Universities, they have established the "China-Africa University Alliance Exchange Mechanism", under which this cooperative program will be carried out. The program will focus on 10 key areas: digital education, health and wellness, agricultural development, trade and investment, mining resources, interconnectivity, environment and sustainable development, language, culture and civilizational exchanges, national social governance, and media and communication, national image. Through this framework, the universities will engage in collaborative research, student exchanges, faculty visits, and talent development. They will also conduct relevant investigations and studies on major China-Africa theoretical issues and practical cooperation challenges. A total of 100 universities, 50 from China and 50 from African nations, have been carefully selected to participate in this endeavor. Our university has been selected to participate in the focus area of environment and sustainable development.

Following the notification from the Ministry of Education regarding the application for the "China-Africa Higher Education Cooperation Plan", our university's Party Committee and administration have placed the utmost importance on this initiative and carefully planned our participation. President Liu Junguo, serving as the program's lead, has personally overseen and guided the entire process. A dedicated application team was established, and expert consultation meetings were convened to strategize our approach. The Office of International Exchange and Cooperation, in coordination with the School of Water Conservancy, the School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, the School of Water Resources, and the School of International Education, have thoroughly leveraged the university's strengths in water conservancy, water resources, environmental science and engineering, as well as our internationally-oriented educational model and cultural exchange programs, including our participation in BRICS initiatives and the World Water Council. Through this collaborative effort, our university has successfully secured a place among the selected member institutions for this initiative.

This year marks the inaugural stage of our university's comprehensive efforts to deepen international exchange and collaboration. The selection of our institution as a member of the "China-Africa Higher Education Cooperation Plan" represents a milestone achievement in our internationalization endeavors. This accomplishment vividly demonstrates the effective governance model we have established for our international academic programs, characterized by leadership from the Party and administration, centralized management, cross-departmental coordination, and synergistic engagement of our schools and departments. This development injects new vitality into our "Double First-Class" initiative, providing robust support. It reflects our university's commitment to serving the national strategic agenda and shouldering the responsibility and wisdom to facilitate the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future.

It is reported that a total of 252 Chinese universities have been selected as member institutions of the "China-Africa University Alliance" exchange mechanism nationwide. Within the focus area of environment and sustainable development, 35 universities were chosen, and among them, 7 were selected as Chinese member universities of the "China-Africa Higher Education Cooperation Plan". After undergoing rigorous qualification review by the Ministry of Education, evaluation meetings, and public announcement, our university has emerged as one of the distinguished institutions to be included in this landmark initiative.