Source: Office of International Cooperation & Exchange
Written by: Office of International Cooperation & Exchange
Photo by: Mai Zonghao
Proofread by: Huang Menglin
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On April 27, 2015, a delegation from the University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa visited Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) to attend the 2014 Advisory Board Meeting of Confucius Institute at University of Cape Town (CI-UCT). Members of the UCT delegation included Prof. Evance Kalula, Director of IAPO and Local Director of CI-UCT, Dr. Marilet Sienaert, Executive Director of Research Office, Associate Professor James Gain from Department of Computer Science, and Associate Professor Qin Shengyong, Chinese Director of CI-UCT.

In the morning, the 2014 Advisory Board Meeting of CI-UCT was held in Zhongshan Building on South Campus. The meeting was presided over by Prof. Wei Minghai, Vice President of SYSU, and attended by members of the Advisory Board, including Prof. Evance Kalula, Local Director of CI-UCT, Associate Professor Qin Shengyong, Chinese Director of CI-UCT, Prof. Zhou Xiaobing, Dean of School of Chinese as a Second Language, Prof. Chang Chenguang, Vice Dean of Faculty of Foreign Languages and International Studies and Ms. Gu Wenli, Deputy Director of Office of International Cooperation & Exchange. At the meeting, Prof. Evance Kalula and Associate Professor Qin Shengyong presented the work report of CI-UCT for 2014 and the work plan for 2015. Members of the Advisory Board gave their opinions and made suggestions for the development of CI-UCT.

After the meeting, the UCT delegation visited The First Affiliated Hospital and National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou (NSCC-GZ), and discussed expanding cooperation with representatives from Office of Scientific Research, Experiment Teaching Center of East Campus, School of Law and School of Information Science and Technology.

Attendees of the event also included Prof. Xiao Haipeng, President and Party Secretary of The First Affiliated Hospital, Prof. Kuang Ming, Vice President of The First Affiliated Hospital, Mr. Lu Zexin, Executive Deputy Director of NSCC-GZ, Mr. Jing Duan, Deputy Director of NSCC-GZ and Ms. Xu Yao, Deputy Director of Office of International Cooperation & Exchange.

On April 30, on behalf of SYSU and UCT respectively, Prof. Wei Minghai and Prof. Danie Visser, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UCT, signed the Agreement for Academic Cooperation between University of Cape Town, South Africa and Sun Yat-sen University, China, in the presence of Prof. Max Price, Vice-Chancellor of UCT. According to the agreement, the two universities will enhance educational and academic exchange and cooperation.

Founded in 1829, the University of Cape Town (UCT) is the oldest and best university in South Africa. It is ranked No. 145 in the QS World University Rankings 2014. SYSU and UCT jointly established the CI-UCT in 2010.