From April 10 to 19, 2016, Li Ming, Council Chairman of Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), led a delegation to a couple of universities and educational institutions in South Asia, reaching consensuses on cooperation. Han Wei, Deputy Director of Preparation Office, was involved in the visit.
In Sri Lanka, the delegation successively visited UNESCO Sri Lanka National Committee, University of Colombo (UoC), UNESCO South Asian Centre for Teacher Development (SACTD) and Sri Lanka National Institute of Education. Beulah Malkanthi, Deputy Secretary-General of the UNESCO Sri Lanka National Committee; Prithi Perera, former Secretary-General of the Committee and UNESCO Consultant Jinadasa Himali held talks with the delegation. Perera welcomed the cooperation with UNESCO International Centre for Higher Education Innovation and SUSTech, undertaking to support the cooperation, and coordinate with institutions such as the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka.
Lakshman Dissanayake, President of UoC, held a meeting with the delegation, agreed with the delegation on the student exchange program and other programs, and said that UoC would join the Shenzhen International Friendship-City University League. Ranjith Chandrasekara, Executive Director of SACTD, introduced SACTD’s experience in enhancing teacher leadership, expressing the willingness to cement cooperation through the network platform of the Category 2 UNESCO institution. Dr. T. A. R. J. Gunasekara, Director of the Sri Lanka National Institute of Education, exchanged ideas with the delegation on issues such as improving education quality through teacher training.
In India, the delegation visited Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (ITTD) and Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP). Sushil, Vice President of ITTD in charge of operation and some professors of ITTD exchanged ideas with the delegation on cooperation modes such as professor exchange visit and joint research. MGIEP is a Category 1 UNESCO institution. Anantha Duraiappah, Director of MGIEP, introduced the center’s experience in personnel recruitment, project organization and other aspects.
In Cambodia, the delegation visited Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), exchanging ideas with President Chet Chealy and the executive team of RUPP. The two sides reached broad consensus on issues such as improving higher education equality and quality through information communication technology. The two sides agreed on diverse international student programs such as student exchange, as well as cooperation in fields such as course development and teacher exchange visit.
The delegation also visited Cambodia’s largest independent research institute of think tank development resources, discussing the implementation of the “Belt and Road” strategy in Cambodia with the institute. Li introduced SUSTech’s schooling achievements and development strategy as an emerging research-oriented university to Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education of Cambodia. Hang appreciated the cooperation between Cambodian universities and SUSTech, expecting to extend the range of cooperation from information communication technology to other fields such as mathematics, science, engineering and technology. Li totally agreed with Hang, undertaking to do so in future cooperation.
