On October 16th, 2023, SUES formally inaugurated the 2023 Global Partnership Week, marking the commencement of a week-long international exchange events. On October 21th, SUES held the prestigious 2023 Global Partnership Week President’s Forum, as one of the integral components of the 2023 Global Partnership Week. The primary objective of this forum was to facilitate international exchange and cooperation in higher education. It gathered university presidents and faculty members from distinguished universities worldwide to collectively deliberate on the theme: “Missions for University of the Future -- Developing Higher Education Quality Evaluation Culture”. This forum served as a platform for educational and cultural exchange, fostering intellectual discourse, information sharing, future collaboration, and mutual development.
The forum was attended by presidents, professors, and expert scholars from six universities in six countries, including China, Switzerland, Russia, Thailand, Germany, and Australia. Also in attendance were Li Weiping, Secretary-General of Shanghai International Education Association, and Vittoria Pesenti, Executive Director of Swiss Chamber of Commerce in China. The forum was chaired by SUES Vice President Xia Chunming.
Li Jiang, Secretary of the CPC SUES Committee, extended a warm welcome to the domestic and international leaders and guests who had come from afar. In his speech, he pointed out that this year marks the first time SUES has organized the “Global Partnership Week” series of activities. In the context of the 45th-anniversary commemoration of SUES and the triumphant conclusion of the Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum, this forum will help us explore innovative solutions for educational development and university construction through dialogue and exchange, contributing wisdom and strength to the future of higher education of higher quality.
Secretary-General Li Weiping expressed that the mission of universities goes beyond imparting knowledge and skills; they also bear a profound societal responsibility. Universities are not only tasked with providing students with interdisciplinary, global perspectives and inclusive education opportunities, but they must also drive inclusivity and diversity. The President’s Forum, held as part of this event, provides a valuable platform for cross-border, cross-disciplinary, and cross-cultural collaborative exchanges, setting an example for inspiring education and cooperative development.
Under the theme “Missions for University of the Future -- Developing Higher Education Quality Evaluation Culture”, five university presidents from different cultural backgrounds and educational models presented keynote speeches and engaged in discussions. They included President Yu Tao of SUES, President Jürg Kessler of University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons, Vice President Matiash Valerii of Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation, Vice President Pun Thongchumnum of Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, and Lutz Herfurth, head of the Staatliches Studienkolleg Thüringen. They exchanged and deliberated upon how, within a period marked by swift technological advancements and an abundance of opportunities and challenges, institutions of higher learning can establish a globalized framework for cultivating a culture of elevated educational quality. This framework is envisioned to enhance the fulfillment of the contemporary university’s mission.
President Yu Tao’s presentation was titled “Exploration of a High-Quality Applied Talents Cultivation Model and the Future Development of Applied Universities”. He began by discussing the positioning, vision, mission, and distinctive features of SUES, sharing the university's exploration of a high-quality applied talents cultivation model. He emphasized that university leaders, especially presidents, should transform the ivory tower into a palace for students’ pursuit of knowledge and spiritual growth. Talent cultivation should focus on building a solid foundation, with open minds. The student-centered approach should establish a comprehensive quality assurance system and a global cultural exchange system, fostering students’ solid professional competence and international perspectives while caring about their comprehensive development. He stated that SUES looks forward to enhancing mutual trust and cooperation with more partners, empowering each other, and making due contributions to global education governance and the development of human civilization.
Beginning with the achievements of the Sino-Swiss Cooperation Education program between SUES and University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons on its tenth anniversary, President Jürg Kessler described on the vision, mission, values, and current opportunities and challenges of University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons. He emphasized the crucial role of international exchange in nurturing students with a global perspective and shared the university’s successful experiences in international cooperation, encouraging other institutions to initiate more international projects.
Vice President Matiash Valerii delivered a presentation titled “Missions of the University of the Future - developing higher education quality evaluation culture”, using Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation, Russia as an example, he introduced the university’s history and scale and shared insights into the university’s education quality management system. He emphasized that modern higher education institutions face increasing competition and need to continuously improve the quality of educational services to remain attractive. He stressed the importance of comprehensive quality management principles and both internal and external assessment methods to ensure the continuous enhancement of education and research quality.
Vice President Pun Thongchumnum explored the challenges and opportunities in higher education in the Asian region, as well as the experiences of Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, Thailand, in fostering internationally competitive students. He shared successful international exchange program cases and encouraged all institutions to actively engage in international academic cooperation.
Lutz Herfurth, head of the Staatliches Studienkolleg Thüringen, in his presentation titled “Towards the Future of Learning and Research”, introduced Germany’s higher education system, the history, and distinctive advantages of Staatliches Studienkolleg Thüringen, and emphasized the importance of research and innovation in higher education, along with the university’s outstanding achievements in this field. He urged university presidents from various countries to strengthen research cooperation and advance technological innovation collectively.
During the forum, university presidents and representatives from various sectors jointly unveiled the logo for “Shanghai University of Engineering and Technology Global Partnership Week”. SUES signed Memoranda of Cooperation with Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation, Russia and Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, Thailand, officially establishing inter-institutional partnership relationships to jointly explore new areas of cooperation in the future.
The forum also celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Sino-Swiss collaborative educational program, marked by a lighting ceremony in honor of the ten-year milestone. This event looked back at the significant achievements in the field of education between the two universities over the past decade. Ms. Vittoria Pesenti stated that this historic moment bore witness to the close collaboration between SUES and University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons over the course of a decade. The core of this program lies in the spirit of collaboration, bringing together outstanding educators from Switzerland and China, jointly creating a rich educational experience that transcends borders. This collaborative project has made a significant contribution to the development of higher education in both China and Switzerland, laying a solid foundation for deepening educational cooperation in the future.
Throughout the 2023 Global Partnership Week, delegations from universities such as Newcastle University, United Kingdom, Purdue University’s Northwest Campus, United States, and City University of Malaysia visited SUES. They engaged in discussions with SUES leaders and professors from School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and School of Marxism about various faculty and student exchange programs, joint research projects, broadening the scope of cooperation, and enhancing the quality of collaborative efforts.
In addition, representatives from University of California, San Diego, University of Arizona in the United States, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, John Moores University, United Kingdom, and University of Sydney, Australia conducted informational sessions for SUES students regarding the “2024 Student International Exchange Programs”. These presentations provided students with more opportunities for international learning and exchange. The students displayed great interest and enthusiasm during these sessions, strengthening their motivation to learn and reinforcing their confidence and determination to participate on the global stage.
The 2023 Global Partnership Week President’s Forum and the series of international exchange activities provided a platform for mutual learning among university presidents and representatives from the education sector worldwide. They strengthened positive relations and cooperation networks among universities from various countries and laid a solid foundation for nurturing future leaders and professionals with a global perspective. SUES will continue to uphold the concept of open education, implement an international development strategy, actively participate in international cooperation, bravely shoulder the mission of universities in the new era, advance the construction of a culture of higher education quality, promote the continuous development of international education, and make a positive contribution to the construction of a more harmonious and prosperous global education community.