A six-member KUST delegation, led by President Wang Hua, embarked on a 10-day visit to Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos from February 19th to 28th. The visit was to consolidate and deepen the cooperative relationship with the three Southeast Asian countries, and to develop new partnerships under the guidance of the important speech by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his visit to Yunnan and the speech by Huai Jinpeng, Minister of the Ministry of Education during his investigation at KUST.
I. Expanding new partnerships and developing new areas of cooperation
The delegation traveled to Cambodia from February 19th to 21st. It visited the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC), the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) and Angkor University (AU), and signed the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with them respectively.
Academician Sok Touch, President of the RAC, and the heads of the Institute of Social Sciences and the Department of Public Relations attended the meeting. The two sides had in-depth exchanges and reached a consensus on cooperation in the programmes of joint student training, joint scientific research, and young teachers from the RAC carrying out postdoctoral research and academic visits in KUST. After the meeting, the delegation investigated the Confucius Institute in the RAC.
The delegation held a talk with the President of the RUPP and relevant leaders from the International Relations Office and the Faculty of Engineering of the RUPP. The two sides thoroughly discussed cooperation in various disciplines, including Energy Science, Agriculture and Biology, Chemistry and Materials, and Food Science. President Wang put forward his concrete suggestions on the exchange of teachers and students, and the hosting of young teachers from the RUPP to conduct joint postdoctoral research in KUST. The delegation also made a field visit to all the laboratories of the Engineering Research Center in the RUPP to know more about the engineering disciplines for potential cooperation.
The delegation met with Gnel Rattha, President of AU, and the heads of the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Public Health, the Office of International Cooperation and other departments. The two parties exchanged views on the joint cultivation programme of undergraduate and master’s students majoring in Clinical Medicine, International Trade, Civil Engineering, and Architectural Engineering. In addition, they reached a consensus on the cooperation between the two universities in setting up the major of Chinese Language in AU, selecting and sending young teachers from AU to study for master’s degrees and doctoral degrees in KUST. The delegation also visited AU’s laboratories, including the Student Psychological Center, Moot Court, Practice Center for Architectural Engineering Students, and Nursing Training Center.
The visited academy and universities boast high scientific prowess and school running standards in Cambodia, and are the first batch of institutes for KUST to sign the MoC at the school level. The visit is of special significance for KUST to strengthen and deepen the cooperation with universities in Cambodia.
2. Consolidating old partnerships and deepening the cooperation
From February 22nd to 25th, the delegation visited Thailand to promote practical cooperation. Firstly, the delegation renewed the MoC with Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT), and carried out in-depth exchanges on building the Sino-Thai Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Research Institute and boosting cooperation in new areas, including big data, logistical engineering, and green energy. The delegation also had a field visit to the Campus Development Planning Center, Student Affairs Center, Administration and Management Center, and Engineering Training Center, and had a discussion with international alumni.
Secondly, the delegation renewed the MoC with Naresuan University, and discussed cooperation in the fields of logistics and supply chains, renewable and smart grid technology, public health and new energy. The delegation also visited and investigated the laboratories of the Faculty of Logistics and Digital Supply Chain and the School of Renewable Energy and Smart Grid Technology, including the Solar Photovoltaic Power Station and the Training Center for Renewable Energy Students. They held discussions and exchanges with the teams of the two schools and reached an agreement on in-depth cooperation.
Thirdly, the delegation renewed the MoC with Saint Nicholas School Phitsanulok (Thailand). The two sides decided that KUST would accept the school’s students majoring in International Chinese Language Education for internships and employment for the next few years, and host Thai high school students for exchange and study. The delegation then conducted an in-depth investigation on Chinese language teaching at levels of kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and high school in Saint Nicholas School Phitsanulok. The delegation also went to see an exhibition of the practice and innovation achievement of secondary school students, and communicated with teachers and students at the scene.
Fourthly, the delegation reached an agreement with the Thai Chinese Language Education Association and high schools in Chanthaburi that KUST will host more than 60 Thai high school students for a four-month Chinese language study starting from mid-March 2024. They discussed the details about the exchanges of Thai teachers and students to KUST this year.
All the visited universities, schools and the Thai Chinese Language Education Association are the long-term partners of KUST. The visit is an in-depth review of the cooperation experience as well as a proposal for exploring new cooperation while consolidating and deepening the relationship with Thai educational institutions in related fields.
3. Focusing on the cooperation with neighbouring countries and enhancing the cooperative effectiveness
The delegation visited Laos from February 25th to 28th. It successfully held the First Meeting of the Fourth Council of the Confucius Institute of Souphanouvong University, inspected the construction progress of the Chinese language teaching building in Souphanouvong University, and met with KUST’s alumni working there. In addition, the delegation discussed with representatives from Souphanouvong University, the local government departments including the Lao Front for National Development (Luang Prabang) and the Provincial Department of Health, as well as the representatives from some Chinese-invested enterprises like the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Southern European River Basin Company and the Maintenance and Guarantee Center of China-Laos Railway Co.Ltd. It listened to their suggestions on the international development of KUST. Thirdly, the delegation payed a visit to the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Luang Prabang. Consul General Zhang Sheping highly appreciated the work of KUST in cultural exchanges and educational cooperation with Laos. He also encouraged KUST and the Confucius Institute to vigorously develop the “Chinese Language + Vocational Skills” training model in Laos, so as to better meet the demand for talents of enterprises in China and Laos.
Fourthly, the delegation went to the teaching site of the Confucius Institute and visited the volunteer teachers there. Another field visit was given to the teaching site of Luang Prabang Medical College where it met with the director and the relevant heads of Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital. The two sides discussed the joint training programmes of Clinical Medicine and Nursing, and reached a consensus on promoting the exchanges and cooperation between hospitals affiliated with KUST and the Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital.
Fifthly, the delegation pragmatically pushed the preparatory work forward for the establishment of the China-Laos Institute of Engineering and Technology. The delegation discussed the relevant majors for potential cooperation, the joint training mode, the mechanism of cooperation, etc. with the National University of Laos (NUOL). The delegation expressed the support of the institute’s faculty training programme by welcoming NUOL’s young teachers to carry out post-doctoral research in KUST, and NUOL’s outstanding students to KUST for internship and practice. The two sides reached a consensus and signed the MoC on the establishment of the China-Laos Institute of Engineering and Technology. Additionally, the delegation had a meeting with Phout Simmalavong, Director General of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos. He expressed that supporting and guiding policies would be made to facilitate the establishment of the institute. He also hoped that the institute could focus on the advantageous disciplines that would meet the developmental needs of the local society and economy. In addition, the delegation visited the Lao Railway Technical and Vocational College, and exchanged views on potential cooperation in education, mining development and research, and agricultural research with Douangchaleun Development Company (DDC, Laos) and Laos Honglang Investment Management Co., Ltd.
During the ten days, the delegation visited eight cities in Cambodia, Thailand and Laos, established effective mechanisms with two government departments, one research institute, eight universities, two secondary schools, one hospital and two foreign enterprises, carried out 27 high-quality official activities, signed four new MoCs and renewed three MoCs. The productive visit is significant for KUST because it consolidates and deepens its cooperative relations with the three Southeast Asian countries, develops new partnerships, and further enhances KUST’s influential and pivotal role as a gateway towards South Asia and Southeast Asia in terms of talent cultivation, scientific and technological innovation and industrial services. The visit also plays a positive role in building KUST as a “Double First-Class” university and a research-oriented high-level university with distinctive characteristics. The heads of the Strategic Planning Office, the Faculty of Science and Technology, Division of International Cooperation and School of International Education accompanied President Wang Hua on this trip.
Translated by: ZHOU Runyi, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Cultures
Edited by: MA Lifei, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Cultures (English)
Source: School of International Education
Issued by: Division of International Cooperation (English)
Edited by: KUST News Center (Chinese)
