June 21, 2024 - The 2024 Annual Member Conference of AUCA was successfully held at the School of Economics and Management, Tongji University. This annual meeting focused on international cooperation and exchange in higher education, bringing together over thirty representatives from overseas universities, Chinese universities, and colleagues from Tongji University to discuss innovative models and successful cases of international education cooperation.

The meeting was opened by Bayar, Rotary President of AUCA, Assistant Manager for Student Recruitment & Marketing, Georgia Tech-Shenzhen.

In his welcome speech, Mr. Wang Hongwei, Deputy Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tongji University, warmly welcomed AUCA and its partner ETS, as well as all the participating representatives, and emphasized the importance of this Sino-foreign university exchange event.

Ms. Phoebe You, Honorary Life President, and Senior Director of China Gateway, The Ohio State University, reviewed the founding mission of AUCA in her speech. She expressed her hope that AUCA would continue to build a solid bridge of cooperation between Chinese and foreign universities, promoting the globalization of the education sector.

As an important member of the AUCA Advisory Board, Ms. Joyce Gong, Senior Partner at Korn Ferry, also shared her unique insights on linking universities and corporates and promoting high-quality employment for overseas talents.

Ms. Li Jing, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Tongji University, detailed the development history and internationalization strategy of Tongji University. She stated that Tongji University is committed to promoting education in sustainable development in education, continuously expanding its global partner network, and supporting high-level talent cultivation and scientific research through internationalization. She also shared the characteristics and advantages of Tongji University’s international development, providing valuable insights for the participants.

Ms. Shou Yuexian, Director of Marketing and Public Relations and Deputy Director of the MBA/EMBA Center at the School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, elaborated on the school’s experience and practices in building a diverse and integrated international network. She stated that the School of Economics and Management adheres to an internationalization strategy rooted in Shanghai and looking at the world, having established close cooperative relationships with more than 100 well-known universities in over 30 countries and regions, conducting multi-level exchanges in students, faculty, and research.

During the roundtable discussion, representatives from different cooperative projects shared their experiences. Ms. Nelly Zhang, Chair of AUCA Institutional Partnership Committee, and Director of China Partner Programs at Webster University, invited Ms. Wang Shuyi, Senior Director of Graduate Programs and Admissions at Duke Kunshan University, Mr. Bill Xu, Head of China Office, Washington University in St. Louis, and Ms. Susie Yu, Executive Director of the Sun Yat-sen University – University of Minnesota International EMBA Program, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Sino-foreign cooperative education.

ETS also brought the latest trend analysis of TOEFL and GRE exams to the participants. Ms. Yao Jiayi, TOEFL Academic Relations Manager, and Ms. Luo Ning, GRE Academic Relations Manager, explained how ETS supports the internationalization process of universities from the perspectives of institutions, teachers, and students, and analyzed global graduate school application trends based on GRE exam and ETS survey data.

At the end of the meeting, Ms. Zhao Shanshan, Operations Director of AUCA, presented the AUCA 2024 Annual Report, summarizing the membership, operations, and financial situation of AUCA over the past year, showcasing the results of various activities organized by the organization, and expressing heartfelt thanks to all member universities and partners who supported AUCA’s development.

After the meeting, the participants visited the College of Design & Innovation at Tongji University, to personally experience Tongji’s advanced concepts and teaching practices in design education.

This Sino-foreign university exchange event was not only a review of past cooperation but also a prospect for future cooperative development. Representatives from all parties expressed their expectations to continue strengthening cooperation and jointly promote the globalization process in the education sector. Here, we once again thank all participants and organizers for their hard work, and thank ETS and the School of Economics and Management at Tongji University for their support, which contributed significantly to the successful holding of this meeting. Let us work together to create a bright future for educational cooperation!

Highlights of the event: 交融无界 合作有道——高等教育国际合作交流会暨2024 AUCA海外高校驻华联盟会员年会在同济大学经济与管理学院成功举办