Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFSU) in China has launched an Advanced Training Programme for Senior Academics and Administrators from Pakistani Higher Education Institutions, an initiative organized under the CPEC Consortium of Universities.
The CPEC Consortium of Universities, jointly established by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and the China Association of Higher Education, serves as a major academic platform designed to deepen higher education collaboration between the two countries within the broader CPEC framework.
The programme’s opening ceremony was attended by President TFSU Li Yingying, Vice President TFSU Zhu Pengxiao, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association of Higher Education Gao Xiaojie, and senior officials from the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission. Ambassador of Pakistan to China Khalil Hashmi and Director General Global Engagement Division HEC Pakistan Aayesha Ikram also participated. Faculty members from universities across Pakistan joined the training.
In her welcome remarks, President Li Yingying highlighted the growing academic cooperation between Pakistan and China and praised the continued efforts of HEC Pakistan and the China Association of Higher Education. She noted that the training will help expand knowledge exchange, support educational development, and strengthen interpersonal and institutional ties between the two nations.
Representing HEC Pakistan, Aayesha Ikram thanked the hosts for arranging the programme and stated that the Pakistani delegation is keen to learn from China’s progress in education, technology, and innovation. She noted that HEC’s Overseas Scholarship Programme has enabled more than 300 PhD scholars and numerous postdoctoral researchers to pursue advanced studies in China. Initiatives such as the CPEC Consortium of Universities and the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences, she added, demonstrate the depth of academic partnership.
Gao Xiaojie underscored that the programme reflects the longstanding friendship between China and Pakistan, describing it as a foundation for robust collaboration in higher education. She shared that the CPEC Consortium of Universities has expanded significantly, growing from 18 to 130 member institutions and focusing on research collaboration, capacity building, and talent development.
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Other speakers also addressed the ceremony. A recorded message from Ambassador Khalil Hashmi emphasized the enduring strategic partnership between the two countries, particularly in the field of higher education.