The 4th China-Thailand Higher Education Cooperation Forum, jointly organised by Jiangsu University, Guizhou University, Guiyang College and China-Thailand Higher Education Cooperation Alliance, was successfully held in Guiyang, China, on 24 August 2022 under the theme of “Creating a New Stage of Cooperation and Constructing a Development Community”. The 4th China-Thailand Higher Education Cooperation Forum, jointly organised by the China-Thailand Higher Education Cooperation Alliance and themed on “Creating a New Stage of Cooperation and Building a Development Community”, was successfully held in Guiyang. More than 200 representatives from nearly 100 universities in China and Thailand participated in the meeting through online and offline integration, discussing research cooperation, youth exchange and talent cultivation, sharing useful experience and promoting practical cooperation.

The forum coincided with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Thailand, was the opening period event of the 2022 China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week, and was guided by the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE). The forum arranged “Sub-Forum for Chinese and Thai University Presidents”, “Sino-Thai Higher Education Co-operation-Innovation and Practice Seminar”, “Sino-Thai Academic Forum on Agriculture and Food”, “International Young Scholars Forum” and “Launching Ceremony of China-Thailand Cloud Education Exhibition and Online Meeting of Cooperation Projects”. The forum was supported by EWIE and Beijing Shanhai Yunhui Education Technology Co.

Liu Limin, former Vice Minister of Ministry of Education and President of China Education Association for International Exchanges, put forward a three-point proposal on China-Thailand higher education cooperation in his opening speech, proposing that China and Thailand should deepen scientific research exchanges and drive industrial cooperation; strengthen talent cooperation based on common development; and promote youth exchanges to create a better future together. He believes that educational exchanges and cooperation between China and Thailand have a solid foundation and a broad future. On the basis of deepening cooperation in language education and mutual recognition of credits, universities of both sides should innovate the mode of exchanges, expand the exchange of young students and scholars, and pass on the friendly tradition of “China and Thailand are one family”. Dr Anai Lautamata, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation of Thailand, said in the opening video message that the cooperation between Chinese and Thai higher education as well as between Chinese and ASEAN universities should focus on building a cooperative and innovative system, and drive industrial cooperation with high-quality university cooperation, so as to promote common development.

Professor Yan Xiaohong, President of Jiangsu University and Chinese Co-Chairman of the China-Thailand Higher Education Cooperation Alliance, said at the opening ceremony that as the chairman of the Alliance, Jiangsu University will continue to promote the deepening of cooperation between the member universities of the China-Thailand Higher Education Alliance in the areas of fostering the cultivation of young talents and exchanges, deepening scientific research and technological cooperation, and promoting cultural exchanges and people-to-people communication. Dr Pongchai Mongkongwani, President of Siam University and Co-Chairman of the China-Thailand Higher Education Cooperation Alliance, said in his speech that Asian universities should uphold the spirit of unity and sharing, promote the interconnection of education standards, deepen talent cooperation and achieve common development. Professor Zhou Shaoqi, Vice President of Guizhou University, Professor Liu Gang, Vice President of Guiyang College, Dr Chen Shanyi, Minister Counsellor for Education, Science and Technology of the Embassy of Thailand in China, and Feng Junying, Counsellor for Education of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony was presided over by E Xuewen, Secretary General of China-Thailand Higher Education Co-operation Alliance.

Figure 1: Prof Yan Xiaohong, President of Jiangsu University and Chinese Co-Chairman of the China-Thailand Higher Education Co-operation Alliance

Figure 2: E Xuewen, Secretary General of China-Thailand Higher Education Co-operation Alliance
　

Figure 3: Signing Ceremony of the Co-operation Agreement between Member Institutions of the Sino-Thai Higher Education Co-operation Alliance

Following the forum’s opening ceremony, four institutions—Dalian Ocean University and Prince of Songkla University, Foshan Institute of Science and Technology and Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand—signed cooperation agreements. They also held the establishment ceremony for the Agriculture and Food Committee of China-Thailand Higher Education Co-operation Alliance, attended by leaders and guests.

The Sino-Thai University Presidents’ Forum was hosted by Zhao Yutao, Vice President of Jiangsu University, where 10 presidents from both sides exchanged and discussed topics such as high-level and high-quality university cooperation between China and Thailand in the new era, the development of international Chinese language education, curriculum cooperation between Chinese and Thai universities, global professional talent cultivation, and the mode of cultivating international engineering talents.

Figure 4: Dr Pongchai Munkhongwani, President of Siam University and Co-Chairman of the Thai side of the Sino-Thai Higher Education Co-operation Union

Following the previous forum, the Sino-Thai Agriculture and Food Academic Forum was held again, with academic discussions on agriculture and rural development, agricultural harvesting machinery development, aquatic processing and industrial development, food processing technology and other topics. In the parallel seminar on “Sino-Thai Higher Education Cooperation – Innovation and Practice”, participants discussed credit recognition, mutual recognition of degrees, professional articulation, teacher-student exchanges, and artificial intelligence and language assessment in Chinese and Thai higher education. 

The Shida International Department is part of the Senior High School of Beijing Shida Middle School and has been established since 2019, enrolling students in grades 9-12 for the whole city of Beijing, offering IGCSE and A-level and IFC programmes. The programme is designed by the East-West Institute of International Education, which introduces all kinds of international education resources to the school.Students enrolled in the programme can register for Ascot LVS School in the UK and graduate with the school’s diploma.The first graduating class of 2022 applied for acceptance letters from renowned overseas colleges and universities, such as UCL, the University of Manchester, and the University of Edinburgh, and each student received 4.5 overseas The VCU Study Abroad Programme Department provides overseas study planning and services, and the results are encouraging.

As of 17 August this year, with the arrival of all the new students of Shida International Department in 2022, the admission work of Shida International Department in 2022 has been successfully completed, and preparations are now underway to welcome the new students. In 2022, Shida International Division will recruit students from all districts of Beijing. 50 students are planned to be admitted to the Shida programme, and 64 students have finally registered and reported to the school, which has exceeded the enrolment quota.

In 2022, the enrolment strategy focused on “expanding scale, adjusting structure and maintaining quality” . This approach included implementing various initiatives, optimizing the enrolment structure and enhancing public efforts. Admission publicity takes online and offline publicity as the main position, and works closely with all kinds of admission publicity partners to carry out professional live broadcasts, explanation of admission policies, open day activities, and participation in international school choice exhibitions and other activities. Through multiple channels such as media portals, admissions websites, public numbers, live broadcasts, and WeChat groups, we release admissions information; we open counselling hotlines and interviews with admissions officers to answer parents’ and students’ questions in a timely and efficient manner; and we hold a number of admissions exams to assess applicants in written tests and interviews, and to strictly control the quality of admissions.

　　Shida High School has made a lot of preparations to welcome the new students, and the dormitory for new students has been renovated. In the next stage, we will have a 12-day freshmen military training. Let’s show you the freshmen style and new environment!

　　Military training site

　　Learning school rules

　　dormitory building