University hosts delegation led by China's Minister of Education

The Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater hosted a delegation led by the Minister of Education for China, Dr Huai Jinpeng at the University on Friday.

At the University, the delegation visited the Confucius Institute, offering expertise in Chinese language and culture and the Maurice Wilkins Centre, a Centre for Research Excellence focused on molecular biodiscovery.

Minister Huai said that Chinese students chose to come to New Zealand for quality higher education but also the country’s ‘humanitarian’ culture.

Professor Freshwater spoke of the range of joint research collaborations between University researchers and Chinese counterparts at a broad range of institutions. She said it was rewarding to reconnect with Minister Huai who she had met several times.

A number of agreements were signed by the University and members of the delegation, including a Memorandum of Understanding with Tui Tuia Learning Circle, University of Auckland and the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation to Promote Chinese Language Learning in Schools of New Zealand.

The visit was part of the programme for the high-level New Zealand China Education Forum on Education hosted by Minister Huai and the Minister for Tertiary Education Penny Simmonds, which included presentations from each of the Vice-Chancellors of New Zealand universities and from their counterparts on the delegation at the Pullman Hotel.

The forum concluded with the arrival of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford. Premier Li announced 100 scholarships for international Chinese language teachers over the next five years, while Prime Minister Luxon announced a tripartite fund and PM scholarship recipients.