Wang Dinghua, secretary of the CPC Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) committee, led a delegation to Austria, Switzerland and Portugal from March 20 to 29. The group visited prestigious universities, research institutions, as well as international organizations and embassies, aiming to enhance academic collaboration, talent development and global engagement.

The delegation visits the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna on March 20, engaging in discussions on international Chinese education and Sino-Austrian cultural exchanges. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

On March 20, the delegation toured the Elfriede Jelinek Research Center, the University of Vienna, the Confucius Institute at the university and the Chinese embassy in Austria. Wang expressed gratitude for the embassy’s support and reaffirmed BFSU’s commitment to fostering educational and cultural cooperation between China and Austria while nurturing more globally-minded talents with strong cross-cultural communication skills.

The following day, delegation members visited the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and Global Neighbors, where they exchanged views on translation talent training with Marianna Metakova, chief of the Interpretation Section at UNOV, and explored potential collaborations with the foundation.

On the same day, they paid a visit to China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Vienna. Wang emphasized BFSU’s proactive role in encouraging students to intern at international organizations and China’s Permanent Mission in Vienna.

On March 23, in Geneva, Switzerland, the delegation attended a BFSU alumni symposium which brought together about 20 alumni from various sectors in the country. The event provided an opportunity for delegation members to gain insights into alumni’s experiences abroad. Wang acknowledged the invaluable contributions of BFSU alumni and stressed the university’s continuous efforts to strengthen global alumni connections.

The delegation’s engagement in Switzerland has also included visits to the International Labour Organization, the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the United Nations Office at Geneva, the International Telecommunication Union, the Geneva Graduate Institute and the World Economic Forum headquarters.

Discussions spanned key topics such as talent cultivation and mobility within international organizations, internship opportunities, career development initiatives, joint research projects, faculty training, curriculum design, online educational resource sharing, academic exchanges and reciprocal visits of scholars and students. 

Delegation members visit the University of Porto on March 26. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Wang Dinghua (L) and Luís Ferreira, rector of the University of Lisbon, renew a cooperation agreement between the two universities on March 28. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

From March 26 to 28, the delegation made a trip to the University of Porto, the University of Coimbra and the University of Lisbon to explore further collaboration in student and faculty exchanges, joint academic research and short-term expert projects. Several cooperation agreements were renewed.

Additionally, they visited the Portugal branch of China Communications Construction and the Chinese embassy in Portugal, where Wang unveiled the plaque for BFSU’s overseas internship center, briefed Ambassador Zhao Bentang on their key takeaways from the visit to Portugal and sought continued embassy support for BFSU’s efforts in talent cultivation, international exchanges and academic research.

This visit marked another milestone in BFSU’s ongoing efforts to expand global partnerships, advance academic excellence and enhance international opportunities for both students and faculty members.