Guizhou to boost cooperation with U.K. in education sector

An education delegation from southwest China's Guizhou Province visited the United Kingdom from April 15 to 16 with the aim of further promoting the internationalization of education in Guizhou and introducing more overseas talents. A total of 11 agreements were signed between universities in Guizhou and their British counterparts.

The U.K.-Guizhou Higher Education Cooperation Conference is held in London on April 15, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Guo Jinbiao)

The delegation consisted of provincial officials, as well as leaders and representatives from seven local universities, namely Guizhou University, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guizhou Minzu University, Guizhou Education University and Kaili University.

The delegation met with representatives from the British Council, an association specializing in international cultural and educational opportunities, as well as London Metropolitan University and University of Oxford, exploring exchanges and cooperation in education reciprocity, joint training, talent introduction, research cooperation, and discipline construction.

During the visit, seven cooperation agreements, or memorandums of understanding (MOUs), were signed between universities in Guizhou and British universities at a higher education cooperation conference in London. The event was hosted by the provincial government of Guizhou, organized by its Department of Education, and supported by the British Council.

Lu Yongzheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Guizhou Provincial Committee and secretary of the Guizhou Provincial Education Commission, said at the conference that Guizhou has always maintained an open attitude and continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation with the U.K. in all aspects. He noted that mutual exchanges and cooperation in education between Guizhou and the U.K. have yielded fruitful results.

“At present, five universities in Guizhou have previously established seven joint education projects with their British counterparts, and carried out a series of substantive cooperation such as teacher-student exchange visits, academic seminars, and curriculum co-construction, creating opportunities for Guizhou students to study in the U.K., and introducing British experts and scholars to Guizhou, ” Lu noted.

Lu noted that Guizhou will provide platforms for talents to showcase their ability, and offer favorable policies and services for their work and life. The province announced it would provide 20 full and partial scholarships for British students to study in Guizhou.

Maddalaine Ansell, global director of education at the British Council, emphasized that China-U.K. educational contacts date back more than 45 years. “The growth in the number of Chinese students taking part in U.K. education, either in the U.K. or in China, is a sign of the strength of our connections,” she said.

Ansell pointed out that the British Council understands and shares Guizhou's aim of expanding access to higher education, developing expertise in scientific research, and deepening international ties for mutual benefit. "We firmly believe that, by working together, we can strengthen the U.K.'s relationship with these important areas of China," she said.

According to Ansell, there are currently 160,000 Chinese students at U.K. universities and a further 71,000 are studying for U.K. degrees within China. Research is another important area of collaboration. Currently, China is the U.K.’s second most important research collaborator, with 156 research centers shared between the two countries.

“We look forward to come to a continued future of cultural exchange, mutual support, and transforming lives with the power of education,” Ansell said.

During the visit, Guizhou University and the Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine signed framework agreements on comprehensive strategic cooperation with the London Metropolitan University. Guizhou University and the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research signed an MoU to develop cooperation in research innovation and training exchanges.