Chinese varsity hosts training for Pakistani academics

ISLAMABAD, Dec 09 (APP): Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFSU), China is hosting an ‘Advanced Training Programme for senior academics and administrators from Pakistani Higher Education Institutions’ as part of activities being carried out under the CPEC Consortium of Universities.

The opening ceremony of the programme was graced by President TFSU Ms. Li Yingying; Vice President TFSU Mr. Zhu Pengxiao; Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association of Higher Education Ms. Gao Xiaojie; and Director, International Exchange Office, Tianjin Municipal Education Commission. Ambassador of Pakistan to China Mr. Khalil Hashmi and Director General (Global Engagement Division), HEC Pakistan Ms. Aayesha Ikram also attended. The participants included faculty members from across Pakistan, said a press release issued on Tuesday.

Addressing the ceremony, President TFSU Ms. Li Yingying emphasized the significance of collaboration between HEC Pakistan and the China Association of Higher Education, appreciating both organizations for strengthening the programme. She said the training initiative is a crucial example of cooperation in the field of education under the guidance of CPEC.

She highlighted that the programme aims to share knowledge, promote educational development, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges and friendship between the two nations. Observing that the world is being profoundly reshaped by artificial intelligence, she expressed hope that this training would deepen cooperation between China and Pakistan in AI education and help jointly advance cultural learning in the AI era.

Representing HEC Pakistan, Director General (Global Engagement) Ms. Aayesha Ikram expressed gratitude to the hosts for facilitating the two-week Advanced Training Programme for the Pakistan Higher Education Delegation. She said China holds a special place in the hearts of the Pakistani people, with bilateral ties rooted in mutual respect, trust, and a shared vision for progress.

Ms. Ikram noted that the delegation was eager to learn from China’s remarkable achievements in education, technology, and innovation, while experiencing the country’s rich culture and warm hospitality. She highlighted the long-standing academic cooperation between Pakistan and China, stating that the partnership has strengthened significantly over the years.

Through HEC’s Overseas Scholarship Programme alone, she said, more than 300 PhD scholars and numerous postdoctoral researchers have been supported to pursue advanced studies in China. She added that collaborative initiatives under CPEC, including the establishment of the CPEC Consortium of Universities and the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences at Quaid-i-Azam University, reflect the depth of the two countries’ academic partnership.

Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association of Higher Education, Ms. Gao Xiaojie, said the programme underscores the “Iron Brother” friendship between China and Pakistan, which forms the foundation for expanding cooperation in higher education. She noted that since its establishment in 2017, the CPEC Consortium of Universities has grown from 18 to 130 member institutions, focusing on collaborative research, capacity building, and talent development in fields such as AI, international engineering, cultural modernization, and regional studies.

With the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative entering the “Two Point Zero era,” she said, the focus has shifted toward innovation—particularly AI education. The programme aims to seize the opportunities of the intelligent era by training personnel in AI and information technology, promoting practical cooperation between scholars in frontier fields such as AI and smart manufacturing, and deepening cross-disciplinary collaboration in areas including agriculture, IT, medicine, and social development.

Other notable speakers also addressed the session. A video message from Ambassador of Pakistan to China Mr. Khalil Hashmi was played, in which he highlighted the deep friendship and strategic partnership between Pakistan and China across several sectors, including higher education.

The CPEC Consortium of Universities is a collaborative academic platform jointly established by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan and the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE) to strengthen higher education cooperation between the two countries under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).