On October 27, the Inauguration Ceremony of the Jiangsu-Africa University Cooperation Alliance (hereinafter referred to as the "Jiangsu-Africa Alliance" for short) was held at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Jiangsu International Exchange Week on the Cooperation and Integration of Industry, Education, Research and Application. On the same day, the First General Assembly of the Alliance and the Jiangsu-Africa University Presidents`Dialogue were successfully held in Suzhou.
Representatives of leaders from 12 universities in Jiangsu and 11 universities in Africa attended the inauguration ceremony and the First General Assembly, including: Shi Yunyu, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education; Letlhokwa Mpedi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg (South Africa); Beshir Abdullahi Mahammoud, Vice-Chancellor of Jigjiga University (Ethiopia); Olu Quaity Menjay, President of the University of William V. S. Tubman University (Liberia); Henry K. Kiplangat, Vice-Chancellor of Kabarak University (Kenya); Mohamed Redouane Kafi, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Université Kasdi Merbah Ouargla (Algeria); Yong Qiang, President of Nanjing Forestry University; Chen Haishan, President of Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology; Hu Zhibin, President of Nanjing Medical University; Jiang Juncheng, President of Nanjing Tech University; Zhu Yan, Vice President of Nanjing Agricultural University; and Yin Tongming, Vice President of Nanjing Forestry University.
The Jiangsu-Africa University Cooperation Alliance was proposed and guided by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, jointly initiated by Nanjing Tech University and the Johannesburg University. A total of 13 universities from Jiangsu and 24 universities from 13 African countries have actively joined the Alliance. During the inauguration ceremony, a video showcasing the Alliance`s early achievements was released, and presidents from 10 universities in Jiangsu and Africa jointly pressed their handprints to mark the official establishment of the Alliance.
At the General Assembly, Shi Yunyu stated in her speech that the establishment of the Jiangsu-Africa Alliance is a strategic move for Jiangsu to actively implement the consensus of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and to advance the internationalization of education. She emphasized that the Alliance will promote the transformation of Jiangsu-Africa cooperation from being “project-oriented” to “strategy-driven,” and is committed to becoming an “incubator” for joint talent cultivation, an “accelerator” for scientific and technological innovation, and an “amplifier” for mutual learning among civilizations.
As a representative of Chinese university presidents, President Jiang Juncheng delivered a speech, emphasizing that against the backdrop of accelerating global changes, China and Africa now require stronger unity and cooperation than ever before. He pointed out that the Alliance serves as a vivid embodiment of the China-Africa Community with a Shared Future in the field of education. Nanjing Tech University will fully support the Alliance's development by sharing high-quality educational resources, enhancing international research collaboration, advancing university-industry integration, and facilitating cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
President Mpedi, representing African university presidents, affirmed in his speech the significant role of the Alliance in helping African universities find substantive and sustainable partners. In his video address, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities, praised the Alliance as an important milestone for deepening Jiangsu-Africa educational cooperation and shaping a shared future.
During the review and election session, the General Assembly unanimously approved the membership eligibility and the Charter of the Alliance, and elected the chair units representing universities from Jiangsu and Africa respectively. At the Presidents' Dialogue, representatives from participating universities exchanged insights on disciplinary development, scientific research innovation, and internationalization strategies, while sharing their unique institutional strengths in education, core competitive advantages, and visions for future collaboration.
