Date: Oct. 7, 2023 

Source: Office of International Exchange and Cooperation

Author: PU Ruoqian

Translator: WU Jiaxin

JNU President Song Xianzhong led a delegation to Ethiopia, Argentina and Brazil from Sept. 17 to 27 to promote cooperation between JNU and institutions of higher education in Northeast Africa and South America. The delegation conducted comprehensive, in-depth exchanges with well-known local universities, friendship associations, Chinese embassies and consulates, overseas Chinese organizations and schools, and alumni representatives.

On Sept. 18, the delegation was received by Amanuel Alemayehu Ayyanso, dean of the School of Humanities at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia's largest, and foreign director of the Confucius Institute; and Gao Lili, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute there.

Then the delegation visited Shen Qinming, chargé d’affaires (minister counselor) of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia; Qin Xuebing of the embassy's Cultural Department, and other leaders.

From Sept. 20 to 25, the delegation visited the University of Cordoba in Argentina, a JNU sister school, and the University of São Paulo and FAAP University in Brazil. Song and FAAP University President Luis Sobral signed a memorandum of cooperation. The two sides reached consensus on the co-operation of Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), MBA and other programs by making use of JNU’s overseas education resources.

(Venue of JNU-University of Cordoba cooperation meeting)

On Sept. 20, the delegation visited the Chinese Embassy in Argentina, where it was cordially received by Ambassador Wang Wei. Song thanked the embassy for its strong support for the construction of the Confucius Institute at JNU-University of Cordoba and said JNU would strengthen Sino-Argentine exchanges and cooperation in culture and art.

(Song visiting Wang, Chinese ambassador in Argentina)

The next day, Jhon Boretto, president of the University of Cordoba, held a welcome meeting for Song and his delegation, and thanked the Center for Language Education and Cooperation and JNU for their support of the Confucius Institute there of Cordoba. Boretto said he hoped both parties could carry out and strengthen multi-disciplinary and multi-level exchanges and cooperation.

(Welcome meeting at the University of Cordoba)

That afternoon, the delegation, together with Huang Kangyi, first secretary of the embassy's Cultural Section, and Wang Jingren, secretary of the Cultural Section, participated in Chinese cultural activities on Confucius Institute Day organized by the Confucius Institute of the University of Cordoba. Afterward, they visited and extended greetings to JNU teachers and volunteers at the institute.

On Sept. 23, the delegation held a symposium at the Rio Chinese Association in Brazil.

(The symposium of the Rio Chinese Association in Brazil)

At the symposium, Song, on behalf of JNU, signed a memorandum of cooperation with Henrique Couto da Nóbrega, chairman of the China-Brazil Friendship Association, to cooperate in cultural and educational exchanges and language training between China and Brazil.

(Song signing a memorandum of cooperation with Henrique Couto da Nóbrega, chairman of the China-Brazil Friendship Association)

From Sept. 23 to 25, the delegation visited the Chinese School of Rio de Janeiro and the Dexin Bilingual School.

During the tour, the delegation also conducted interviews and research with Li Xiaoming, counsellor for overseas Chinese affairs at the Chinese Consulate General in Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Yang Linlin, president of the Latin American and Argentinian Alumni Association of JNU and head of the university's Overseas Literature Collection Liaison Office, to comprehensively learn about the diverse educational needs of overseas Chinese communities.