CWU Holds 2nd Int'l Women's Uni Presidents' Round-Table Conference

On October 14, the Second International Women's University Presidents' Roundtable conference kicked off at China Women's University (CWU). The university's vice-president Wang Jingxia presided over the event.

CWU president Liu Liqun, vice-president Liu Meng both attended the gathering. Attendees also included 14 other presidents from Japan, the U.S., Italy and different provinces in China. Focusing on the theme "Problems and Countermeasures in the Cooperation and Exchanges of International Women's Universities", the presidents discussed and exchanged opinions.

Liu Meng illustrated CWU's great efforts in promoting global ties in recent years, including setting up the League of Chinese Women's Colleges and holding the current event. She hoped that presidents at the conference could further explore problems existing in schools' cooperation and exchanges, seek ways to solve them, and promote the common development of international women's higher education.

Hunan Women's University president Yang Lanying pointed out that China-overseas cooperation in running schools is an important way to learn about advanced cultures, share high-equality educational resources, and achieve breakthroughs in development. She suggested to build more exchange cooperation platforms, further strengthen international communication, and jointly explore advanced teaching ideas and talents training patterns to cope with the information revolution and the latest wave of globalization.

Zhou Maodong, president of Guangdong Women's Polytechnic College (GWPC), shared his rich experience of cooperation in running a school. He said, "as a vocational college in China, we have cooperated with colleges in Australia, Japan, and other countries, and opened international '3+2' upgraded colleges in China. We also developed cultural exchange courses, organized academic visits, and launched an exchange program with colleges in Taiwan." Zhou also made suggestions about the construction of the China Women's Universities Consortium(CWUC) and the development of the international women's university presidents' forum.

Hashimoto Hiroko, former president of Jumonji University, said that it was necessary to develop women's higher education in science and technology. She praised GWPC's development in vocational technology, and hoped to strengthen cooperation with China through women's publications.

Suzan Harkness, vice-president of Stephens College, the U.S., said that the current meeting has been very meaningful and fruitful. She hoped that they could strengthen cooperation in teaching resources, and emphasized the relation between curriculum design and students' employment.

Paola Bernardi, president of the Women's College at the University of Pavia, analyzed the situation on the ratio of female graduates' in high-level institutions in Italy. She emphasized the significance of women's higher education, and thought that CWUC was a better way to promote higher education. She also hoped to develop students who could be professional leaders, and let them play positive roles in social development.

Fan Suhua, president of Shandong Women's University, shared her experiences in talents training, civil servants training, and exchange programs. She hoped that they could further deepen communication between teachers, managers, and scientific researches, and explore new modes for student exchange.

Fang Ning, associate director of Women's College at Xi'an Peihua University, shared their experience in using so-called "We Media" to spread advanced gender culture, and launch international cultural communication.

The presidents agreed that this meeting has further strengthened their friendships, broadened their horizons, and laid a solid foundation for deeper cooperation. They said that the information revolution and the new wave of globalization would bring about a new blow and challenge to traditional ideas of education and patterns of training. They should seize opportunities to strengthen cooperation, exchange, complement advantages, and promote the global development of women's higher education together.

Before the event, the presidents visited the campus, and praised its achievements.

(Source: China Women's University/Translated and edited by Women of China)