Vice President Zou Yonghua led a delegation to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mauritius from November 13 to 22. The visit aimed to further implement China’s strategy of high-level openness for education, focusing on both the “Bringing in” and “Going out” initiatives. With the mission to expand the League of Tropical Universities (LTU) and advance HNU’s internationalization, the delegation sought to explore partnerships in joint education programs, co-building and sharing educational resources, collaborative research and knowledge transfer with the universities in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mauritius.

During their stay in South Africa, the delegation visited the University of Johannesburg (UJ), Stellenbosch University (SU), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), and the University of the Western Cape (UWC). They invited these institutions to join the LTU and held talks about establishing academic partnerships, faculty and student exchange, joint education and research programs, and knowledge transfer. These talks resulted in consensus to enrich future collaboration.

HNU delegation visiting UJ

HNU delegation visiting SU

HNU delegation visiting CPUT

Zou Yonghua exchanging souvenirs with UWC Vice Chancellor Shaun Pather

In Zimbabwe, the delegation visited the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the China-aided Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center. During the talks with UZ Vice Chancellor Attwell Mamvuto, both parties agreed to advance initiatives under the LTU framework, including building joint laboratories, facilitating academic exchanges, and promoting IUR (Industry-University-Research) Cooperation and joint education programs. An MOU was signed, and the “Research Base of Zimbabwe, Hainan International Joint Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Environmental Pollution on Tropical Islands” was officially inaugurated. During the visit to the Demonstration Center, the delegation held talks with Dr. Jotamu Dondofema and Francis Vengai, Director and Vice Director of the Department of Agricultural Education under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, R. Muzenda and T. Sibanda, President and Vice President of Gwebi Agricultural College, and other officials from the Demonstration Center. Two sides reached consensus on cooperation in the promotion of smart agricultural machinery and equipment, crop cultivation demonstration and training, and knowledge transfer. The visit also included the unveiling ceremony for the “Hainan University Tuber Production Equipment Research Center (Zimbabwe)”.

HNU signing MOU with UZ

Unveiling ceremony for the Research Base of Zimbabwe, Hainan International Joint Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Environmental Pollution on Tropical Islands

Unveiling ceremony for Hainan University Tuber Production Equipment Research Center (Zimbabwe）

In Mauritius, the delegation held productive talks with Sanjeev K Sobhee, President of the University of Mauritius (UoM), and Dinesh Kumar Hurreeram, President of the University of Technology, Mauritius (UTM). Both institutions signed Letters of Intent (LOI) with Hainan University to advance cooperation. At UoM, the talks focused on faculty and student exchange programs, joint research, and talent development in agriculture, food science and technology, and biotechnology. At UTM, the talks centered on collaborative research, faculty and student exchange, and degree programs for UTM students in industrial systems engineering, food science and technology, and sustainable development and tourism. The delegation also explored potential collaboration between HNU’s Science Park and UTM’s Incubation Center (currently under construction). Two sides emphasized that Mauritius and Hainan, both located in the tropics, have similar economic models and development policies, which creates a solid foundation for multi-disciplinary collaboration. They expressed hope to strengthen bilateral ties by leveraging respective strengths.

HNU signing LOI with UoM

HNU signing LOI with UTM

The delegation also met with Li Xudong, Education Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, Zhou Ding, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, and Zhu Liying, Chinese Ambassador to Mauritius, briefing them on the development of HNU and the LTU. The talks focused on encouraging more universities and research institutions in these countries to join the LTU and conduct collaboration in academic exchanges, joint research initiatives, and talent development programs. The Chinese diplomats pledged their full support for HNU’s collaborations with local universities and research institutions.

HNU delegation visiting Chinese Embassy in South Africa

HNU delegation visiting Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe

HNU delegation visiting Chinese Embassy in Mauritius

Additionally, the delegation met with the leaders of local business and research organizations, including Chenshia Granary, the Empire Partner Foundation (EPF), and South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI). Topics included incubation center development, deeper integration of IUR, knowledge transfer, and the advancement of the coconut industry. During their stay in South Africa, they also paid a visit to Rululu Thozama, a South African student who will study in HNU soon, encouraging her to use her identity to build connections between her alma mater and HNU.

HNU delegation meeting Rululu Thozama

This visit has yielded substantial outcomes, enhancing HNU’s influence in Africa and strengthening its role in contributing to the formation of the education community of tropical regions under the framework of the LTU. The delegation’s efforts have paved the way for future partnerships, creating new opportunities for academic and research collaboration.

The delegation members included representatives from HNU’s Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, the Office of Research Development, the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and the School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry.

Source from Office of International Cooperation and Exchange

Translated by Han Yunsheng

Proofread by Kuang Xiaowen, Yang Jie