GCMU 2024 Annual Conference successfully concludes at Shenzhen University, CityU Rector Jun Liu chairs General Council meeting
The Global Consortium of Metropolitan Universities (GCMU) 2024 Annual Conference, co-organized by City University of Macau (CityU), Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Guangzhou University and Shenzhen University, was successfully held at Shenzhen University today. As the chairman of the General Council, Jun Liu, rector of CityU, attended the annual conference, chaired the General Council meeting and participated in the University Leadership Forum.
This conference brought together leaders and heads of international affairs departments of the member universities to explore the opportunities and challenges faced by the internationalization of higher education. In-depth exchanges and discussions were conducted on the future cooperation and development of the consortium. This annual meeting was rich in content, including General Council meeting, University Leadership Forum, and roundtable discussions.
As the host of this year’s edition, Mao Junfa, president of Shenzhen University, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. He noted that member universities had worked together to promote the in-depth integration of higher education and urban development, yielding positive results. He highlighted that through a series of activities such as seminars and annual conferences, member universities would promote complementary advantages, facilitate resource sharing, and strengthen awareness of integrating into urban development and international development. He stressed that universities should grow and share both challenges and successes with their cities, promoting mutual and integrated development.
In the University Leadership Forum, leaders from the four member universities at the General Council, including Jun Liu, rector of CityU; Reggie Kwan Ching-ping, provost of Hong Kong Metropolitan University; Ouyang Qian, party secretary of Guangzhou University; and Zhang Xiaohong, vice president of Shenzhen University, discussed “Opportunities and Challenges of Internationalization of Higher Education.” The forum was hosted by Han Shuixian, director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Department (Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs) of Shenzhen University. It was carried out with fruitful discussions, focusing on the connotation of internationalization, the opportunities and challenges faced by the internationalization of higher education, specific solutions to address these challenges, and how to utilize GCMU as a platform to seize the opportunities of the times, promote international development, and improve the university operation.
During the annual conference, departments of global affairs and international affairs from the member universities focused on student exchanges, faculty exchanges and scientific research cooperation, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area summer camp and other topics for discussion and experience sharing, aiming to promote in-depth cooperation among consortium members.
The successful organization of this annual conference not only strengthened the connections between member universities, but also provided a new perspective and motivation for international cooperation in global higher education. Going forward, GCMU will continue to promote all-round and sustainable academic exchanges and cooperation among member universities, enhancing mutual trust and friendship, and jointly building a platform for education, science and technology, cultural exchanges, and cooperation and sharing. It looks forward to working with more universities around the world to jointly promote the innovation and development of higher education and contribute to empowering urban prosperity and sustainable development.
The Global Consortium of Metropolitan Universities (GCMU) was jointly initiated and established in November 2022 by City University of Macau, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Shenzhen University and Guangzhou University. GCMU brings together well-known universities in global metropolis and is committed to becoming a global network for innovative, applied and international metropolitan universities, promoting member universities to carry out all-round and sustainable academic exchanges and cooperation, enhancing mutual trust and friendship among members, and building a sharing platform for education, technology, cultural exchange and cooperation.
GCMU will leverage the advantages of each member university, promote the reciprocal sharing of resources, achieve complementary advantages, promote knowledge transformation, and jointly enhance the sustainable development of education and scientific research in the cities where each member is located. There are currently 15 member universities, including City University of Macau, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Shenzhen University, Guangzhou University, East China Normal University, Soochow University, Fuzhou University, Nantong University, Beijing City University, Tamkang University in Taiwan, and Myongji University in South Korea, Tokyo City University in Japan, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman in Malaysia, University of Évora and University of Aveiro in Portugal.
Source: The General GCMU Secretariat