On the afternoon of October 22, the opening ceremony of the university’s 8th International Week was held at the Student Activity Center Auditorium. Zhu Ming, President of the university, attended the ceremony. The theme for this year’s International Week is "International Education in the Digital Era." The event welcomed 44 foreign experts from 11 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Greece, Japan, and Thailand, alongside esteemed guests from Chengdu’s international education community and our faculty and students.
Zhu Ming expressed his heartfelt gratitude and a warm welcome to the distinguished guests who traveled from afar. He provided an overview of the university's development history and achievements, particularly emphasizing the significant enhancement of the university’s internationalization and global influence, especially in light of the opportunities presented by the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games. He noted that the International Week has successfully convened for eight years, yielding substantial outcomes and playing a crucial role in bolstering the university's comprehensive strengths and broadening the international perspective of faculty and students. He hoped that attendees would seize this opportunity for in-depth dialogues, strengthen friendships, and explore avenues for mutual development.
Yan Yiyou, Director of the Foreign Exchange and Cooperation Department of the Chengdu Municipal Education Bureau, delivered remarks praising the university's dedication to advancing international educational cooperation and exchange. He reaffirmed the bureau's strong support for the university's international development strategy.
Wichai Vanpetch, Chairman of the Board of Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University in Thailand, also addressed the gathering, congratulating Chengdu University on the commencement of the 8th International Week and expressing anticipation for deeper, more substantive cooperation between the two universities.
The opening ceremony also featured the unveiling of the Sino-Euro Exchange and Innovation Center of Education, Technology and Talents (Sichuan), as well as a signing ceremony for a collaborative agreement between Chengdu University and the EU Project Innovation Center. This center, initiated jointly by our university and the Chengdu EU Project Innovation Center under the guidance of the Sichuan Provincial Center for Foreign Exchange and Cooperation, aims to foster open collaboration between Chengdu University and the EU in the education sector. The establishment of this center marks a significant step forward in enhancing Sino-European exchanges and cooperation in education, technology, and talent, injecting new vitality into the international development of both our university and the province. The formal signing with the EU Project Innovation Center marks the beginning of deep collaboration between the two parties across various fields.
Guests from Greece, Japan, the UK, and Thailand, along with experts from our university, participated in a panel on "International Education in the Digital Era." Participants explored innovative models for international education, talent cultivation strategies, and the development of evaluation systems, highlighting that digital technology presents unprecedented opportunities and challenges. They emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation and exchange among nations to jointly explore digital education pathways suitable for their unique contexts.
The new projects under the EU "Erasmus+" program were showcased at the opening ceremony. The "Erasmus+" program, initiated by the European Union, is a comprehensive initiative designed to promote higher education exchanges, vocational training, youth development, and innovation, making it a significant educational exchange program with a global impact. The project leader from our overseas center in Thailand provided a detailed overview of the collaborative strategies. Established by our university, the overseas center in Thailand aims to strengthen partnerships and exchanges with Thai universities, facilitate joint student training, and promote academic research. This initiative will offer students enhanced opportunities for overseas study and exchange, significantly improving the university's level of internationalization and the global competitiveness of its students.
Throughout the International Week, a series of engaging international exchange activities will unfold, offering faculty and students a variety of platforms to showcase themselves, exchange ideas, and cultivate friendships.
