The China Association of Higher Education (CAHE) and the Association of Arab Universities held an unveiling ceremony of the China Secretariat for the Exchange Mechanism of the China — Arab League of Universities in Shanghai earlier this week.

Officials from the two associations signed a memorandum of cooperation and announced that the China secretariat was established at Shanghai International Studies University. A research institute of the exchange mechanism was set up at Ningxia University in Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

Du Yubo, CAHE president, said that the signing of the MoU is a new step forward to promote collaborations between institutions of higher education from China and Arab countries and will facilitate people-to-people communication, as well as deep and lasting international understanding.

He said that under the MoU exchange mechanism of scholars, teachers, and students will be established for joint talent cultivation. Chinese and Arab universities will also join hands to focus on main fields, including infrastructure, energy, health and communications, to conduct innovative research.

The Association of Arab Universities was established in 1964 and has approximately 450 member universities in 22 Arab countries and regions. It has played a role in promoting education exchanges among universities, facilitating collaborations between education authorities, and elevating international cooperation between the local universities and their counterparts elsewhere.