On October 30^th, The Belt & Road Forum on Scientific & People-to-People Exchange and High-quality Development was held in USTB. Mr. CAO Diefeng, Associate Head of China Center for International People-to-People Exchange, Ministry of Education; Mr. Munkhtushig, Minister-Counsellor (Deputy Head of Ministry) at Embassy of Mongolia; Ms. Pasupha Chinvarasopak, Minister-Counsellor of Royal Thai Embassy; Ms. Afifa Shajia Awais, Education Attaché of Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mr. WU Guilong, Chancellor of USTB, Prof. YANG Renshu, President of USTB, Prof. LYU Zhaoping, Vice President of USTB attended the opening ceremony of the forum. Scholars from more than 10 countries, including Mongolia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Kazakhstan, and relevant officials from different units and departments of USTB, representatives of foreign faculty, and international students participated in the Forum. Prof. LYU Zhaoping presided over the opening ceremony and main forum.

Prof. LYU Zhaoping presided over the main forum

Mr. WU Guilong made an opening remark

In the opening remark from Mr. WU Guilong, he said, “Since the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) was proposed, USTB has given full play to functions and advantages of international exchanges and cooperation of universities, actively explored exchanges and cooperation with universities, institutions, enterprises in countries along the BRI. The forum is a practical initiative to further study and implement the spirit of President XI Jinping's important speech at the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, accelerate the implementation of the "eight major steps," and promote the quality and efficiency of jointly building BRI education cooperation.”

Mr. CAO Diefeng made a remark

Mr. CAO Diefeng said, “Holding the Belt & Road Forum on Scientific & People-to-People Exchange and High-quality Development is not only a vivid demonstration of achievements in the field of science, technology, and people-to-people exchanges during the past 10 tears BRI construction but also a practical initiative for important consensus and initiatives in the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.” He hoped that USTB could be at the forefront of the process of further promoting educational cooperation with other countries and exchanges in the field of science, technology, and people-to-people and achieve pioneering contributions.

Mr. Munkhtushig made a remark

Mr. Munkhtushig said, “China and Mongolia are close neighbors, and cooperation in every field is developing steadily, including politics, economy, culture, education, science, health, infrastructure, and environment.” He believed that, through the forum, the universities of China and Mongolia could further strengthen cooperation in education and science, deepen bilateral friendly partnerships, promote international education cooperation and exchanges, and advance higher quality exchanges and cooperation along the BRI.

Signing ceremony

During the opening ceremony, the Signing Ceremony of Cooperative Agreements between USTB and Kasetsart University (Thailand) was held. Under the guidance of the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit, USTB and Kasetsart University will focus on significant engineering requirements of the BRI and expand wider and deeper cooperation in education and science.

Prof. YANG Renshu made a report

In the main forum, representatives of universities, including Mr. YANG Renshu, President of USTB, Prof. Ewe Hong Tat, Vice President of Tunku Abdul Rahman University, Dr. Seri Koonjaenak, Vice President of Kasetsart University, Mr. ZHANG Xiaodong, Chairman of Zhongguancun the Belt and Road Industrial Promotion Association, Ms. Jill Cowley, Pro Vice-Chancellor of De Montfort University, Mrs. Saule Aidarova, Dean of Kazakh-British Technical University, Prof. Orolmaa Munkhbat, Director of the National University of Mongolia, Prof. Alberto Conejo Nava, Professor of USTB, made reports on topics such as The “Belt and Road” under the Connectivity of Diverse Civilizations, New Trend of Interdisciplinary Development, Construction of a Future-oriented Talent Cultivation System, etc. The participants carried out in-depth and multi-angle discussions on the hotspots and cutting-edge issues of the development of science and technology and humanities.

Prof. YANG Renshu communicated with Prof. Ewe Hong Tat

Prof. WANG Luning communicated with Mr. Seri Koonjaenak

During the forum, Prof. YANG Renshu and Prof. WANG Luning, Vice President of USTB, communicated with Prof. Ewe Hong Tat and Dr. Seri Koonjaenak, respectively, to conduct in-depth discussions on further implementing diversified inter-university cooperation in talent training and scientific research.

Group photo

"Even mountains and seas cannot distance people with common aspirations." USTB will take the forum as an opportunity to innovate working modes of international cooperation and exchanges, construct the “Seed Project,” “Bridge Project,” and “Amity Project,” promote talent training of universities and cooperation in scientific research, work together to raise the high-quality development of scientific and people-to-people exchange to a new level.

Draft: YANG Lindi

Revision: CHENG Mingyuan