On the afternoon of 20th October, the Forum on Sino-Thai Higher Education Development & Alliance of China-Thailand Universities (ACTU) Inaugural Conference, sponsored by Yunnan Provincial Department of Education, co-organized by Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST) and East & West International Education, was held in Kunming, Yunnan Province. The representatives from nearly 170 universities in China and Thailand made their online and offline presence in the activity. In the Forum, the representatives discussed the new models and best practices of joint course development on the theme of “Innovating Models of Curriculum Collaboration in Higher Education”, while exploring new thoughts and methods for the exchanges and cooperation of the higher education development in China and Thailand. Moreover, ACTU was inaugurated and the candidates of ACTU governing bodies were elected in the inaugural conference.
During the Forum, MA Wenhui, Vice President of KUST, delivered a keynote speech, titled “Sino-Thai education development goes hand in hand in the post epidemic Era”. He probed into the trend of international education in the post-pandemic era and explored the breakthrough in international exchanges and cooperation. ZHAO Yutao, Vice President of Jiangsu University, gave a speech titled “Writing a New Chapter for China-Thailand Higher Education Cooperation in the View of the Belt & Road Initiative”. He put forward the practice and vision of higher education cooperation in the view of the Belt & Road Initiative, throwing light on the roles of higher education and sustainable development in China-Thailand higher education cooperation. Sanor Klinngam, President of Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, made his speech on “Phetchaburi Rajabhat University and Its Roles in Local Engagement and Development”, focusing on the discipline construction and exploring the best model and pathway of exchanges and cooperation on international education.
During the conference, the Alliance of China-Thailand Universities (ACTU) was announced its establishment. YAN Xiaohong, President of Jiangsu University, and Pornchai Mongkhonvanit, President of Siam University, were elected as co-chairs from China and Thailand respectively, and E Xuewen as the ACTU secretary-general of the first Alliance. In addition, 6 vice-chairs and 28 member units of the Board were elected. ACTU, an open platform for international education cooperation, was jointly initiated and proposed by 14 universities and educational institutions from China and Thailand during the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week in July 2019.
In the near future, ACTU will set up mechanisms for efficient management, sound cooperation, sharing resources, as well as incentive and competitive systems and efficient network platforms. It will redouble the efforts to enhance the brand influence of the Alliance and carry out substantive cooperation, so as to further deepen the exchanges and cooperation on China-Thailand higher education and promote the higher education to serve the regional economy. ACTU is committed to expanding the exchanges in China-Thailand higher education through bilateral cooperation and making the mutual progress of two countries in education.
Translated by: YANG Fuyu, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Cultures
Edited by: DUAN Tianting, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Cultures (English)
Source: Division of Overseas Cooperation
Issued by: Division of Overseas Cooperation (English)
Edited by: KUST News Center (Chinese)
