ACC Organized a Working Visit to Zhejiang Province for ASEAN Embassies and Consulates

From 27 to 30 May 2014, the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) organized a working visit to Zhejiang Province for ASEAN Embassies and Consulates in China. Six education officials from the Embassies of Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Consulates General of Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand in Shanghai joined the trip. The delegation visited Zhejiang Normal University (ZNU), a public university, Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages (ZJYXUFL), a private university and Jinhua Polytechnic (JP), a public vocational college. The visit helped the ASEAN Officials understand better education development of Zhejiang Province and opportunities for students from ASEAN countries.

At ZNU, Mr. Yu Yongming, Deputy Director-General of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education, met with the delegates and briefed them on educational development, conditions and service of studying in Zhejiang, particularly highlighting the provisions of scholarship to ASEAN students. He said the booming Zhejiang's economy benefited the development of education, and universities and colleges in Zhejiang could offer considerable number of scholarships to ASEAN countries. ASEAN students could also work here after graduation, taking advantage of concentration of business such as the Yiwu International Commodity Market. He hoped that more and more students from ASEAN countries could come and study in Zhejiang. Mr. Wang Daoyu, Deputy Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division of ACC, said that China and ASEAN were promoting the Double 100,000 Student Mobility Goals by 2020, and Zhejiang is an important destination for ASEAN Students. He further explained that the purpose of the working visit was to help ASEAN countries to learn more about the advantages of education in Zhejiang Province, and to further promote educational exchange between Zhejiang Province and ASEAN countries.

On the morning of 28 May, the delegation paid a visit to ZJYXUFL, a private university that offers 9 foreign languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Japanese and Korean with a total enrollment exceeding 10,000. Prof. Ye Fangchun, President of ZJYXUFL, met with the delegation and talked about student exchange, offering ASEAN language courses such as Thai and Indonesian languages, and establishing institutional cooperative relations. The students from the Philippines, Yemen and South Korea shared their life in Shaoxing city where the university is located. The delegation visited both campuses of the university, and were left with deep impression of the advanced equipments and beautiful environment. They expressed their willingness to provide assistance for setting up courses of ASEAN languages and institutional links.

On the afternoon of 28 May and morning of 29 May, the delegation paid a visit to JP. They visited the Medical College, the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering College, and the Tourism and Hotel Management College of JP, and were surprised and encouraged by their advanced equipment, interactive teaching methods, and excellent skills demonstarted by students. Mr. Hu Zhengming, Chairman of College Council of JP, and Ms. Yang Yan, Vice President of JP, met with the delegation, and exchanged with them views on teacher training, setting up Chinese language training centre in Laos and two-way student mobility. Chairman Hu said that JP had participated events organized by ACC many times, especially the Chinese vocational colleges’ Trip to Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia in May 2014, and that JP expected to cooperate more with ASEAN countries in vocational education and was willing to provide scholarships to ASEAN students. The delegation also expressed the willingness to assist JP to establish more connections with educational institutions ASEAN countries.

From the afternoon of 29 May to the morning of 30 May, the delegation visited ZNU, a key university of Zhejiang Province with 19 colleges and 63 specialties and a students body of over 30,000. The delegation visited the Library, Science Museum, as well as the dormitory building for foreign students, and discussed with the leaders of the International Culture and Education College and the College of Humanities. Prof. Wu Fengmin, President of ZNU, met with the delegation and introduced the strength and advantage of ZNU, its international collaboration and desires of deepening cooperation with ASEAN countries. President Wu said that African Studies in ZNU is a national leading subject, and thus ZNU has been undertaking various project such as training for high level African official entrusted by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affair and Ministry of Commerce. The university has also set up a China-Africa International Business School (CAIBS), as well as an African Museum. President Wu also said that the rich experience and achievements of cooperation with Africa could be copied to that with ASEAN, and welcomed ASEAN students to study in ZNU with generous offer of scholarships. The delegation expressed their willingness to recommend more students to study in ZNU and to strengthen cooperation in teacher education.

The working visit to Zhejiang enables ASEAN education officers to learn more about the situation, strengths and advantages of education in Zhejiang Province, and connects them with local educaiton institutions. The delegation and the three universities as well as the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education sincerely appreciated ACC’s efforts in promoting better understanding among each other, saying that they would cherish the platform, and keep communication with ACC to promote the exchange and cooperation in education between China and ASEAN countries.

The working visit to Zhejiang for ASEAN Embassies and Consulates is the 9th activity of the ACC Lecture Series for China-ASEAN Double 100,000 Student Mobility Goals.