Offical Visit By SNAEIA to Tunisia to Promote Education Exchange and Cooperation between the Two Countries

Recently, the Secretary-General Chen Lu and Deputy Secretary-General Zhao Yuling of Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association conducted a four-day visit in Tunisia. The aim of the visit is to promote educational exchange and cooperation among countries in China and North Africa, and to facilitate the integration of culture and knowledge. During this visit, the delegation from the Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association visited several government departments in Tunisia, including the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Monastir, as well as multiple higher education institutions in Tunisia. They engaged in discussions and negotiations on education, culture, and other aspects.

On May 8th, the delegation first visited the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Monastir, the Tourism Office, and the Tourism Institute in Monastir, Tunisia. The Secretariat of the Assiciation had in-depth discussions with the heads of these departments, gaining a profound understanding of Tunisia's policies and practices in cultural preservation, cultural industry development, cultural exchange, and higher education exchange and cooperation. The delegation also introduced China's experience and models in language teaching and cultural communication.

At the same time, Zhao Yuling engaged in a thorough discussion with the counterparts regarding the specific details of the "The Belt and Road" China-Tunisia Cultural Exchange Ambassador Special Program" and the inaugural "The 1st Sino-North Africa Vocational Education Digital Innovation Skills Competition" scheduled for October this year. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Monastir highly praised and strongly supported the implementation of these two projects.

Subsequently, the association’s delegation visited the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Monastir, engaging in in-depth discussions about the current status of higher education in Monastir and the future trends in development and international cooperation. Following this, the association was invited to visit Monastir University in Tunisia and received a warm reception from the university leadership. During the conversation, the Secretary-General of the association gained a comprehensive understanding of the university's current development status and had in-depth discussions with the university leaders regarding the collaborative projects they are interested in. Monastir University expressed a strong desire to strengthen cooperation with Chinese universities, particularly in academic areas such as environmental engineering, biotechnology, food engineering, and expressed hope to involve Chinese enterprises in achieving integrated education and industry collaboration, ultimately contributing to local economic development and student employment.

Simultaneously, the association delegation accepted the warm invitation from the EPI Education Group to participate in enrollment promotion. During this promotional event, the association provided a comprehensive introduction to current education trends and the enrollment situation for international students in China, offering Tunisian students a variety of educational choices and opportunities.

Following this, the association delegation was invited to visit ISSCA Business School in Tunisia, as well as UNIVERSITY OF SOUSSE and other universities in the Sousse region. They engaged in friendly discussions with university leaders and international cooperation officials, reaching agreements on various cooperative intentions, including joint education programs, research collaboration, and student exchanges.

In the evening, the association delegation had dinner with the leaders of the Royal School, engaging in detailed discussions about the plan to collaborate with Chinese universities to establish the first Chinese university in Monastir City, scheduled for September this year.

On May 9th, the delegation from the Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association held a discussion with the CEO of University Centrale. University Centrale first highly praised the smooth implementation of the recent Zhejiang Chinese Medical University's Nursing Master's Program in Tunisia and expressed gratitude for the efforts made by the Association in their collaboration. During the meeting, both parties had in-depth discussions on the operation and student learning conditions of Zhejiang Chinese Medical  University's undergraduate and master's programs. They proposed a series of new measures and initiated the enrollment process for the nursing "3+1" program.

Subsequently, the association delegation separately visited Espirt University and UPES University, conducting promotional activities for studying in China targeted at university students. They engaged in discussions with the leadership of both universities on various educational issues, exploring opportunities for developing new cooperation in the education sector.

On May 10th, the association delegation visited various universities, including MIT University, University Libre de Tunis, ESAT University, and IMSET University. They conducted in-depth discussions with each institution regarding existing cooperation projects and future sustainable development projects, laying a solid foundation for the next steps of collaboration.

On May 11th, the association delegation reached the final stop of their visit to Tunisia—University Arabe of Sciences. As one of the association's founding members, University Arabe of Sciences highly values its cooperation with China. The founder, vice president, and deans of various faculties attended the meeting. During the meeting, both parties extensively discussed comprehensive and multi-level cooperation with Chinese universities. This includes short-term and medium-term student and teacher exchanges, international internships, joint degree programs, and the establishment of recruitment bases in Tunisia.

Through this visit, Sino-North Africa Education Innovation Association has expanded its understanding of the education sector in Tunisia. It has further promoted exchanges and cooperation in the education field between China and North Africa, establishing extensive and in-depth connections with various universities. The Secretary-General of the Association stated that this visit has been a significant step in gaining insights into the latest academic developments and educational cooperation information in Tunisia. It has also opened up new avenues for educational and cultural communication and exploration of teaching methods between China and North Africa. The association will carefully review the valuable opinions and suggestions provided by government departments and universities during this trip, refine the education cooperation model with Tunisia, and strive for more fruitful collaboration outcomes.

After the successful conclusion of the visit to Tunisia, the association delegation will proceed to the next North Africa country, Morocco, for the cooperation period with Chinese universities. They aim to deepen practical cooperation, promote the implementation of more projects, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.