The inauguration ceremony of the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) Alumni Association in Kenya and the BFSU Alumni Association in Cameroon was held last Thursday in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. 

The event was conducted both offline and online, marking a significant milestone in fostering alumni networks in Africa. 

Participants in the plaque unveiling ceremony for the BFSU Alumni Association in Kenya pose for a group photo. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

The plaque unveiling ceremony for the BFSU Alumni Association in Cameroon is held on July 4, 2024. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

Jia Dezhong, a member of the standing committee of the CPC BFSU committee and vice-president of the university, extended warm congratulations on the establishment of the alumni associations. 

He highlighted BFSU alumni associations’ commitment to serving the university, the fellow alumni and the society, as well as its work philosophy of facilitating alumni’s growth, contributing to China’s development and influencing the world.

According to Jia, the two alumni associations will work together to unit BFSU alumni in Africa, enhance collaboration with partner universities and foster mutual assistance among BFSU alumni. 

Furthermore, he underscored their potential to gather high-quality resources, improve BFSU's African language and culture education, cultivate more talents proficient in African languages and promote cultural exchanges, people-to-people interactions and all-around cooperation between China and Africa. 

Meanwhile, at the ceremony, key positions within the alumni associations were announced and approved. 

The BFSU Alumni Association in Kenya will continue to pursue self-development, focus on high-quality growth and function as a platform that supports the success of the alumni and the alma mater. While BFSU alumni in Africa will shoulder the mission of strengthening friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa, making due contributions to building a community with a shared future between the two sides, said Meng Li, an alumna of the School of English and International Studies, general manager of StarTimes Media Co Ltd and advisor to the alumni association.

Wang Lening, an alumnus of the Faculty of French and Francophone Studies, project manager at China Machinery Engineering Corporation under Sinomach and president of the BFSU Alumni Association in Cameroon, expressed gratitude for the education and cultural diversity he received at BFSU. He pledged to leverage the association's platform to enhance Sino-African cooperation and contribute to the mutual development of China and Africa.