Nanjing University’s vice president Wang Zhenlin participated in discussion on the challenge of the pandemic to higher education at the 25th Annual Presidents’ Meeting of Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) on August 27, 2021.
This year’s meeting brought together nearly 180 presidents, vice presidents and representatives of 44 universities and institutions, including Nanjing University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Sun Yat-sen University, Tongji University, Harbin Institute of Technology, University of Hong Kong, Far Eastern Federal University (Russia), University of California, Los Angeles, and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
Themed on “Universities Shaping the New Norm Together,” the meeting focused on “Insights and Reflections of University Presidents on Higher Education and Research in the Post-Pandemic Era,” “How Universities Should Reshape Campuses and Respond to Challenges,” and “How APRU Can Contribute as a Network.”
In the Presidential Forum session, the participants had extensive discussions on the experiences of international cooperation and the challenges faced with shared by the presidents from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, University of Southern California (USA), Pohang University of Science and Technology (Korea), Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), and Monash University (Australia).
On the student panel, the university leaders discussed the post-pandemic challenges to students’ learning and the universities’ response.
Nanjing University has offered seven online courses to students from member universities through the Virtual Student Exchange Program (VSE), ranking the second of the 17 universities in China that participate in this program. NJU’s efforts have enhanced its international education and academic influence.
APRU was established in 1997 as an alliance of top research universities around the Pacific Rim in an effort to promote economic, scientific and cultural development through cooperation in teaching and research.
Nanjing University joined APRU in 2008 and has participated in the presidents’ annual meetings, senior international leaders’ meetings, international academic conferences, academic exchanges for faculty and students, and research programs with professors from various universities.
Dr. Christopher Tremewan, secretary general of APRU, visited Nanjing University twice in February and October 2019. Nanjing University’s CPC Secretary Hu Jinbo and President Lyu Jian met with him and had extensive discussions on the cooperation of the two parties.
