Established in 2008, The China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week have served as a valuable platform and profound catalyst in fostering stronger collaboration, progressing higher education quality and harmonious connections among youth in China and ASEAN. This was shown in 2023, when more than 175.000 China students studying in ASEAN countries and vice versa. With that in mind, the exchanges between the two sides future generation have been more prevalent than ever.
As the prospect of higher education institution collaboration between ASEAN countries and China have soared. The 2024 China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week has become a forefront of this intriguing opportunity. The event was held in Guizhou Province, China and began from August 22 until August 24, 2024. It was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China and the governor of Guizhou Province in collaboration with the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO).
4.000 guests undertaken a journey to the East to attended this program and University Al-Azhar Indonesia (UAI) was one of the Indonesian delegations along with 9 other Indonesia delegations. The Indonesia delegations participated in the China – Indonesia Education Exchange Activities with the theme “The State of Vocational Educational Report”, “Indonesian Higher Education Situation, Applied Research and Impact in Local Economic and Social Development”.
Afterwards, Dr. Mohamad Ghozali Moenawar, Lc., M.M, Head of Office of International Affairs of UAI introduced Indonesia China Innovation Council for Talent Cultivation and Education Cooperation (ICIC-TCEC) and stated that by enriching vocational education cooperation between China and Indonesia, it will overcame the skills gap and encouraging economic growth.
By enriching vocational education cooperation between China and Indonesia is the key to overcoming the skills gap and encouraging economic growth
Afterwards, Dr. Ghozali closed his speech by expounding the rooted partnership history between UAI and China that have been forged since 2010. Most notably, the establishment of Mandarin Language Center / Confucius Institute in November 9, 2010 that have since been instrumental in spearheading cultural and educational exchange activities and the prospect of collaborating will enhance not only both countries education institution, but the country relation as a whole.
The speech ushered unprecedented success as one of China universities, Southwest University (SWU) that was located in Chongqing and China International Education Institute (CIEI), agreed to signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would enabled developing basic courses for a joint program, providing UAI with qualified lecturers for relevant courses that will be recognized by Chinese universities . But most importantly, the MoU required UIN Jakarta and IPB University students that will go to China for an exchange program or other programs to study in UAI Mandarin Language Center to acclimated the students with Chinese culture, values and language. Therefore, the students will adapt to Chinese culture with ease.
The journey to the East have brought learning lesson, collaboration, but most importantly new friend in the form of SWU and CIEI. Journey to the east may end for now, but the journey for developing higher education quality and prepping both countries future generations is still a long winding road that needed a helping arm from each other to tread on. (BR)