The 1st Presidents’ Forum on University Development and the Preparatory Roundtable on Global Alliance of Metropolitan Universities
As the City University of Macau celebrated its 40th anniversary, it invited leaders of different universities to gather together and talk about opportunities for development and cooperation among universities and discussed about the establishment of the Global Alliance of Metropolitan Universities, which would look at ways to deepen and facilitate cooperation and exchanges. The Forum was attended by more than 70 leaders and representatives from 19 local and Mainland universities. There were also 10 leaders and representatives from Taiwanese and overseas universities participating online. Liu Limin and Wang Yongli, respectively President and Secretary-General of the China Education Association for International Exchange, Teng Sio Hong, Deputy Director of Education and Youth Affairs Bureau of Macao SAR and CityU Rector Jun Liu officiated and spoke at the opening ceremony.
Rector Jun Liu thanked all the guests for attending the event. He pointed out that CityU had always attached great importance to academic exchanges and cooperation with major universities at home and abroad. International education was an important strategy for the development of the University and it was committed to cultivating professional talent who loved the country and loved Macao. CityU had always adhered to the principles of “rooted in Macao, serving the region”, closely linking the University with the development of the city to achieve “a university in the city, the city in the university” and applying research achievements to serve Macau, the Greater Bay Area and the country. The forum gave participants an opportunity to share their insights and insights and outlook for the University
Prof Liu Limin, President of the China Education Association for International Exchange, said that the City University of Macau took the lead in the preparation for setting up the Global Alliance of Metropolitan Universities, which fully reflected the expectations of various universities to strengthen high-level international exchanges and cooperation in the post-epidemic era. The initiative also demonstrated the commitment of metropolitan universities to shoulder the responsibility to nurture talent and provide intellectual support needed for promoting the regional economic and social development. Prof Liu Limin also set out three expectations on universities with respect to their future development and talent cultivation: the first focus should be the needs arising from the social and economic development and the development of industries with an aim to comprehensively improve the development capabilities of the regions served; the second focus should be the reform of education models and learning methods to comprehensively improve the quality of talent cultivation; the third focus should be the normalization of epidemic prevention and control requirements, strengthening the overall safety systems for teachers, students and campus.
Teng Sio Hong, Deputy Director of Education and Youth Affairs Bureau of Macao SAR, said that with the joint efforts of the universities and the SAR government, higher education in Macau had reached a certain scale. The SAR government supported and encouraged local universities to enhance cooperation with those in other places. The announcement of the important national strategy of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area would certainly drive and see deeper and broader cooperation between universities in Macao and those in international cities, in particular, a new page would be turned with respect to the cooperation in resources sharing, personnel exchanges and transformation of research outcomes. The establishment of the Global Alliance of Metropolitan Universities was a very meaningful initiative conducive to greater cooperation between universities
The theme of the forum was “ Universities in the Future and the Future of Universities” and covered the five topics of “The Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Talent Cultivation of Universities”, “The Industrialization of Higher Education and Local Economic Development”, “Disruptive Technology and ‘Challenges’ and ‘Opportunities’ for University Development”, “In-depth and Multi-dimensional Interaction between Universities and Cities”, “International Collaboration and Exchanges between Universities in the Post-pandemic Era”.
Leaders and representatives who delivered keynote speeches at the meeting included (in no particular order): Prof Xiong Sidong, President of Soochow University, Prof Zhang Bo, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Prof Zhou Aoying, Vice President of East China Normal University, Prof Shi Youqi, President of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Prof Shi Weidong, President of Nantong University, Wu Kaijun, Vice President of Guangzhou University, Prof Liang Ruixiong, President of Guangdong University of Science and Technology, Prof Chen Zhi, Executive Vice President of Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, Prof Zhong Yijun, Party Secretary of Zhuhai City Polytechnic, Prof Zhang Baizhan, Head of Academic Affairs, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhuhai, Prof Michael King Man Hui, Vice Rector of the University of Macau, Dr Fanny Vong, President of the Macau Institute for Tourism Studies, Chair Prof Jacky So Yuk Chow, Vice President of the Macau University of Science and Technology, Dr Lei Ngan Lin, Vice President of Macau Polytechnic Institute, Dr Tong Kai Chung, President of the Macau Institute of Management, Prof Jane Harrington, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich, UK, Prof Camila Ribeiro Romeiro, President of Newton Paiva University Centre, Brazil, Prof Wang, Ru-Jer, President of the National Taichung University of Education (online), Dr Kao-Cheng Wang, Vice President for International Affairs ,of Tamkang University (online), Wang Shuyin, Vice President of Chinese Culture University (online), Prof Wang Zhengyan, President of National Kaohsiung Normal University(online), Prof Paulo Jorge Ferreira, Rector of the University of Aveiro, Portugal (online), Prof Ana Costa Freitas, Rector of the University of Évora, Portugal (online), Prof Yow Ho Kwang, Vice-President of the Tunku Abdul Rahman University(online) and Prof Byong-Jin You, President of Myongji University, South Korea (online).
At the preparatory meeting for the Global Alliance of Metropolitan Universities, the participating members affirmed the importance of the Alliance as a new form and a new platform for exchanges and cooperation between universities in the post-pandemic era. By adopting a more targeted approach, it transcended the past traditional forms of cooperation and exchanges of an alliance and promoted deeper and easier cooperation and exchanges among member universities of the Alliance.
Rector Jun Liu proposed that counterpart universities be identified and efforts be made to attract universities in the Greater Bay Area and the rest of Mainland, and international universities, including those in Portuguese-speaking countries, to join the Alliance. Members of the Alliance should seek to set up a mechanism for mutual program recognition, promote short-term exchanges, and build a joint cultivation system featuring Bachelor’s- Master’s programs, launch cooperation in the areas of Chinese cultural studies, smart city, featured finance, big health and cross-cultural communication based on their own needs, performing the role as a global alliance in multiple directions and at multiple levels by conducting interdisciplinary research on the development of smart cities.
During the discussion within the framework of the Global Alliance of Metropolitan Universities, Pro-Rector Sean Li proposed that a three-tier cooperation platforms covering the Greater Bay Area, national and international levels be set up to provide teachers and students with learning and research opportunities and better serve the needs of metropolitan development. The meeting reached a consensus on establishing and participating in the Global Alliance of Metropolitan Universities. The Alliance was expected to be established in Macao in the second half of 2021 and would promote cooperation in areas such as improving quality of students, broadening international horizons, teachers and research and mutual credit recognition.