MSM links China–Africa Higher Education
From 12 – 23 April, a delegation of 12 (Vice-) Presidents of Ethiopian Public Universities and the Director General of the Education Strategy Center of Ethiopia visited several higher education institutes in Beijing and Shanghai, China. This study visit was initiated by MSM in the context of a NUFFIC-funded multi-year program to enhance leadership and management capacities, and was coordinated by the Chinese Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE).
Both the Chinese representatives as well as the Ethiopian delegation saw these encounters as an extraordinary occasion to give impetus to their mutual political and institutional interests and strengthen relations between their two countries. The distinguished Ethiopian higher education delegation was warmheartedly welcomed with the utmost respect, and MSM’s bridging initiative was strongly appreciated.
For the Ethiopian university leadership, the purpose of the study visit was three-fold: to get insights into how Chinese universities with a focus on science and technology have evolved to become highly ranked higher education institutes, to understand the interplay between government policies and strategies and the Higher Education Sector, and to seek for partnerships with Chinese universities. The visit was successful in this regard, with the signature between the Education Strategy Center of Ethiopia and CEAIE of a Memorandum of Understanding for promoting cooperation between the higher education sectors of both nations. Promises of scholarships for Ethiopian students were made by Chinese university Presidents, and concrete ideas for internships for Ethiopian students in Chinese enterprises were formulated.
Besides the Ministry of Education and other sector institutions, the Ethiopian delegation visited nine world-class national universities and two municipal universities. A key lesson learnt was the way the Chinese government is stimulating differentiation and ranking among universities and disciplines, something which is not (yet) happening in Ethiopia.
As a follow-up to this study trip, MSM and CEAIE are exploring ways to cooperate in further linking MSM’s global network with universities in China.
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