A 14-member high-level higher education delegation from Yunnan Province, China, visited North South University (NSU) in Bangladesh and participated in a symposium on educational cooperation.
The delegation was headed by Zhao Derong, Deputy Director-General of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education. It comprised senior administrators and directors of international cooperation offices from ten prominent universities across Yunnan. Prof. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of NSU; Prof. Abdur Rob Khan, Treasurer & Pro-Vice Chancellor (IC); Dr Cynthia McKinney, Director, Office of External Affairs, as well as the deans of various schools and departments of North South University, and Chinese and Local directors and teachers of Confucius Institute at North South, attended the seminar at the Syndicate Hall of North South University. Dr. Bulbul Siddiqi, Director of the Confucius Institute at NSU moderated the seminar said a press release on Monday (April 21).
In his welcome remarks, Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor of North South University, highlighted the university’s long-standing commitment to academic cooperation with Chinese institutions, especially in Chinese language instruction and cross-cultural engagement. He expressed a strong desire to expand collaboration with universities in Yunnan Province.
Following this, Zhao Derong delivered a keynote speech, affirming the solid foundation of educational ties between Yunnan and Bangladesh. He acknowledged the positive outcomes in academic exchange, joint research, language education, and student mobility. He also articulated the hope for further cooperation in three key areas: talent cultivation, institutional exchange mechanisms, and language learning initiatives to advance mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations.
Dr. Cynthia McKinney, Director of the Office of External Affairs at NSU, provided a comprehensive introduction to the university’s history, academic strengths, and development vision, particularly emphasising international cooperation and its contributions to Chinese language education.
Subsequently, representatives from six Yunnan universities shared their institutional strengths and prospective areas for collaboration:
Duan Xingwu, Vice President of Yunnan University, congratulated both parties on successfully unveiling the China-Bangladesh Cultural Experience Center. He expressed his hope to deepen the development of the Confucius Institute, accelerate the establishment of a Chinese Language Department at NSU, and enhance cooperation in fields such as business administration—aiming to build a flagship model of Sino-Bangladeshi higher education partnership.
Pan Xuejun, Vice President of Kunming University of Science and Technology, proposed the creation of a China-Bangladesh collaborative ecosystem focused on “education, technology, and the humanities,” with the support of the Yunnan Academy of Advanced Studies. He emphasized student and faculty exchanges, joint research programs, and integrated cultural and athletic initiatives as core pillars.
Yu Jie, Vice President of the Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, expressed interest in launching collaborative undergraduate programs in pharmacy, conducting short- and long-term cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and offering specialized training in TCM practices tailored to local needs.
Zhao Rujie, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Honghe University, stressed the shared mission of both institutions to “advance development through education and connect hearts through culture.” He expressed eagerness to continue fostering high-quality Chinese language education and people-to-people exchanges through the Confucius Institute and affiliated classrooms in Bangladesh.
During the open discussion session, the deans and directors of various departments—including Prof. AKM Waresul Karim, Dean, School of Business & Economics, Prof. Md. Rizwanul Islam, Dean, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, Prof. Sk Tawfique M Haque, Director, South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG), Prof. MN Islam, Director, Graduate Studies, Prof. Mohammad Hossain Shariare, Chair, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Dr Ziaul Haq Adnan, Chair, Department of Management, shared their perspectives and conveyed enthusiasm for expanding partnerships with Yunnan universities.
This exchange event exemplified Yunnan's higher education sector's pioneering spirit and international outlook. It opened new pathways for pragmatic collaboration in education and culture, laying a solid foundation for long-term academic exchange and mutual understanding between the peoples of China and Bangladesh.