On September 22nd, the second China-Central and Eastern European Countries Education Policy Dialogue was held in Tianjin. Over 150 representatives, including Mr. Hao Ping, Vice Minister of Education, Mr. Wang Chao, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madame Cao Xiaohong, Vice Mayor of Tianjin City, education officials, rectors and university presidents, ambassadors from relevant countries, attended the meeting. During the meeting, the China-CEE Countries Higher Education Consortium was initiated and representatives from 12 higher education institutions in CEE countries and from 16 Chinese universities signed on the declaration of establishment. As one of its first-batch members, CSUST was invited to attend the meeting and Professor Jiang Changbo, Assistant President, signed on the declaration on behalf of the university.
The Consortium aims to provide a platform for partnerships and cooperation for higher education institutions in China and CEE countries, to pool and share resources and deepen the exchange in education between China and CEE countries. As to the work mechanism, the Consortium shall discuss topics of common interests regularly and establish a platform to share information and resources between members; it shall also actively push forward the mutual acceptance of degrees and diplomas between China and CEE countries, encourage its members to apply for and set up Government Scholarship and to engage fully in such areas as academic exchange, scientific research and innovation conversion.
CSUST has established strategic partnerships with higher education institutions in Poland, Romania and the Republic of Montenegro and has been granted by the Ministry of Education to offer scholarships to students from CEE countries since last year. The entry of CSUST into the Consortium indicates that the cooperation between CSUST and its counterparts in CEE countries shall be on fast-lane development.
