On the gorgeous day of May 25^th, the 2019 Chinese-Foreign University Presidents Forum and the “Jilin International Studies University” Unveiling Ceremony were held in a jubilant atmosphere.

Li Weihong, the Deputy Director of China Caring for the Next Generation Working Committee, Director of Working Committee on Caring for The Next Generation Under the Chinese Ministry of Education and former Vice Minister of Chinese Ministry of Education, Liu Limin, former Vice Minister of Ministry of Education, former National Inspector-general, President of China Education Association for International Exchange and Vice Chairman of Euro-America Alumni Association, Che Xiulan, Deputy-Director of Jilin Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee and Director of Jilin China Vocational Education Association, Zhong Binglin, Member of the National Education Consultation Commission, former President of Beijing Normal University and President of the Chinese Society of Education, Wang Zuoshu, President of the China Association for Non-Government Education, Qu Zhenyuan, Member of National Education Consultation Commission, former Chairman of China Association of Higher Education and former Party Secretary of China Agricultural University, Ma Dexiu, former Party Secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Xue Kang, Vice Chairman of Jilin Provincial CPPCC and Chairman of Jilin Provincial Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party, Zhi Jianhua, Vice Chairman of Jilin Provincial CPPCC and Chairman of Jilin Provincial Committee of the Jiusan Society, Qian Wancheng, Director of Changchun Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee, Yang Zhenbin, Party Secretary of Jilin University, Shi Yigong, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Vice President of China Science and Technology Association and President of Westlake University, Jiang Huilin, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former President of Changchun University of Science and Technology, Chen Naifang, former Party Secretary and President of Beijing Foreign Studies University, Huang Guoyi, former Vice President, editor-in-chief of China International Publishing Group and Vice Chairman of the Translators Association of China, along with other leaders from relevant departments of state, provincial and municipal levels, experts and scholars in the field of education at home and abroad, heads and representatives of embassies of the UK, Poland, Indonesia and Iran, Germany, Republic of Korea, France, Russia, Japan and Australia to the Shenyang Consulate General, Presidents of over 114 universities from 25 countries as well as heads of Asia-Pacific Higher Education Research Cooperation Platform, the Federation of Translation Schools of International Universities and International Exchange Group of ROK, attended the ceremony. Here are also more than 1,000 alumni traveling from all corners of the world, and faculty and students of JISU.

At 8:30 a.m., the unveiling ceremony was held in the stadium at JISU. Liu Limin read out the paper of the MOE approving Jilin Huaqiao University of Foreign Studies to be renamed as Jilin International Studies University.

Then President Qin He delivered a speech that gave a recollection of grand accomplishments the school had achieved in the past 24 years. She believes renaming the school as JISU is a milestone event in its reform and development, as well as in the history of Chinese private higher education. Meanwhile, this event also signifies greater responsibilities for JISU to shoulder. Standing at a new starting point, JISU will continue to move forward with the goal of building itself up as a high-level, non-profit, application-orientated, century-old world-famous university of international studies.

Chen Xiulan spoke highly of JISU’s important role in higher education and great contributions to social and economic development in Jilin Province. She also expressed her wishes, hoping that JISU would develop into a top application-oriented university of international studies both at home and abroad and at the same time following “The Belt and Road” strategy and contributing to the in-depth development and open up of Northeast Asia and all-round rejuvenation of Jilin Province.

Witnessed by all the guests, teachers and students present, the unveiling of JISU was conducted by Li Weihong, Liu Limin, Che Xiulan, Xue Kang, Sun Weijie (the Deputy Director of Chinese Higher Institutions Setup and Reviewing Committee, Chief Supervisor of China Association of Higher Education and former Party Secretary of Jilin Provincial Education Department) and President Qin He together.

A raft of experts all delivered their congratulations to JISU for recently becoming a university and praised JISU’s achievements, including Yang Zhenbin, Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Jilin University; Jiang Feng, Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Shanghai International Studies University; Shi Yigong, President of Westlake University and Ms. Henderson, President of New Jersey City University in America.

Mr. Yang Zhenbin delivered his address

Mr. Jiang Feng delivered his address

Ms. Henderson delivered her address

Mr. Shi Yigong delivered his address

Le Clezio, a French writer and a Nobel laureate for literature, also delivered his speech congratulating JISU.

Professor Yang Yuchen, distinguished alumnus Cai Xue, and student representative Shi Tianyi, showed their appreciation and gave their blessings on behalf of faculty, staff, alumni and students at JISU.

Ms. Yang Yuchen delivered her address

Cai Xue delivered her address

Shi Tianyi delivered his address

More than 100 university presidents attended the 2019 Chinese-Foreign University Presidents Forum hosted in the International Exchange Center after the renaming ceremony ended.

Under the promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative and the implementation of educational projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the forum was held to further promote mutually beneficial cooperation in education among countries along the route of the Belt and Road and to boost the prosperity of regional education. It aims to further proceed by implementing joint programs for training talented individuals and conducting scientific research so as to support the development of the economies and societies along the route. This serves to greatly encourage cultural exchange and thus bring about mutual understanding and growth among these countries.

Mr. Zhong Binglin, Chairman of the Forum

Mr. Liu Limin delivered an opening address to the Forum

A myriad of university presidents from China and abroad gave keynote speeches on the theme of “The ‘Belt and Road’ Construction and the University’s Responsibility,” including Su Zhongmin, President of Changchun University of Science and Technology; Jia Wenjian, Vice President of Beijing Foreign Studies University; Wang Junzhe, President of Xi’an International Studies University; Chen Fachun, President of Tianjin Foreign Studies University; Liu Lin, President of Beijing City University; Qin He, President of Jilin International Studies University; Minulova, President of Ural State Pedagogical University in Russia; Ferreira, President of University of Aveiro in Portugal; Lee Xianghan, President of Hansung University in South Korea; McCosh, President of the Warrnambool Campus of Deakin University in Australia, and Zhang Xiuyan, Vice President of Universiti Brunei Darussalam in Negara Brunei Darussalam.

Mr. Su Zhongmin delivered his address

Ms. Minulova delivered her address

Mr. Jia Wenjian delivered his address

Mr. Ferreira delivered his address

Mr. Wang Junzhe delivered his address

Mr. Lee Xianghan delivered his address

Mr. Chen Fachun delivered his address

Mr. McCosh delivered his address

Mr. Liu Lin delivered his address

Ms. Zhang Xiuyan delivered her address

Ms. Qin He delivered her address

All the participants at the forum spoke with a common theme: “‘Belt and Road’ Construction and University’s Responsibility,” and they shared their successes in promoting internationalization at their universities. They set up the goal of creating an educational community and bolstering international cooperation in the educational sector, thus contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative.

The host of the Chinese-Foreign University Presidents Forum and the ‘Jilin International Studies University’ Renaming Ceremony has built a bridge between Chinese and foreign universities, increasing communication, cultural exchange, and mutual cooperation. It has also served as a milestone in JISU’s history. It has inspired faculty, staff, alumnus, and students to all make concerted efforts to facilitate JISU’s growth until it is an international university that is highly recognized around the world.