A meeting to promote the China-Africa Universities 100 Cooperation Plan was held at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) on May 31, bringing together more than 150 officials and representatives from member universities and the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE). 

Wang Dinghua, secretary of the CPC BFSU committee and executive director of the China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism, speaks at the meeting. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Addressing the meeting, Wang Dinghua, secretary of the CPC BFSU committee and executive director of the China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism, highlighted the longstanding and friendly relations between China and Africa, as well as their systematic, large-scale and well-recognized cooperation in higher education.

Wang emphasized the importance of pooling resources for shared benefits in such cooperation and called for increased exchanges to strengthen understanding and trust among universities and research projects with significant outcomes.

Zhang Daliang, vice-president of the CAHE, speaks at the meeting. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

The China-Africa Universities 100 Cooperation Plan, a pivotal project in advancing Sino-African higher education collaboration, focuses on the 10 key areas of health and wellness, agricultural development, trade and investment, mineral resources, connectivity, environment and sustainable development, language, culture and mutual learning among civilizations, national and social governance, media communication and national image, and digital education, said Zhang Daliang, vice-president of the CAHE. 

He suggested clear roles and responsibilities to ensure the effective implementation of the cooperation plan, urging all parties to work together to build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Olusola Bandele Oyewole, secretary-general of the AAU, speaks via video. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

In a video address, Olusola Bandele Oyewole, secretary-general of the Association of African Universities (AAU), described the cooperation plan as a beacon of hope and catalyst for joint progress between China and Africa in higher education collaboration. 

He stressed the urgency of establishing university matching mechanisms across various fields, fostering stable cooperation among member universities and enhancing exchanges between Chinese and African students and faculty. 

Oyewole also advocated for joint research and development and training projects to further consolidate China-Africa friendly partnerships. 

Jiang Yunliang, secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Normal University committee and deputy executive director of the China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism, speaks at the meeting. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

Jiang Yunliang, secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Normal University committee and deputy executive director of the China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism, noted that the China-Africa Universities 100 Cooperation Plan is a powerful initiative for deepening educational cooperation and exchanges between China and Africa and nurturing talents with a global perspective, innovation ability and social responsibility. 

Officials launch the China-Africa Universities 100 Cooperation Plan. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

The meeting included a report session, inviting representatives from 42 Chinese universities listed in the China-Africa Universities 100 Cooperation Plan to present their work proposals. 

The China-Africa Universities 100 Cooperation Plan is a significant initiative to implement the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development proposed during the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2023. It aims to deepen exchanges and cooperation between universities in China and Africa and enhance the understanding and recognition among students in jointly building a China-Africa community with a shared future. The plan is also an important task for the China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism.

In August 2023, the Chinese Secretariat of the mechanism was unveiled at BFSU, and the university was also selected as a member of the China-Africa Universities 100 Cooperation Plan.