In response to the growing opportunities for internationalization in Asian universities, Prof. Jun Liu, rector of City University of Macau, was invited to participate in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Summit today to strengthen collaboration and exchange with local universities and discuss key issues in higher learning. During the summit, he also held discussions with the delegation led by Tan Tieniu, party secretary of Nanjing University. Along the trip, Rector Jun Liu led a delegation to visit the University of Malaya and signed a student exchange agreement to further enhance talent exchange and educational cooperation. Other members of the CityU delegation who attended the summit and visits included Pro-Rector Vince Chu Te Lin and Director Kathy Che Ka I of the Rector’s Office.
The three-day THE Asia Universities Summit 2024 was held at the Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This year’s summit, with the theme “Bridging frontiers: Changing the landscape of education in Asia,” featured over 35 academic sessions and panel discussions on topics such as “Transnational education: Building bridges across countries and campuses,” “Employability and skills gap: Building bridges with industry,” and “Communities and authorities: Building bridges with society.” The summit brought together 500 experts and scholars from leading Asian universities.
Rector Jun Liu attended the panel discussion on “Nurturing soft skills and emotional intelligence for workplace success” to explore the role of higher education in nurturing these skills and helping students thrive in interpersonal communication, which in turn leads to success in the workplace. Starting from his book Asian Students' Classroom Communication Patterns in U.S. Universities, Rector Jun Liu shared his 30-plus years of experience in learning, teaching, and managing higher education in the United States, highlighting the key factors for success in the workplace for Asian students. In his speech, Rector Liu emphasized that the sociocultural and linguistic environment, as well as cognitive thinking, are key factors that influence intercultural skill acquisition and communication for Asian students. He also highlighted that although they may not be skilled in communication, their learning potential should not be underestimated. Rector Liu emphasized that with the correct learning methods, Asian students can easily acquire English, and having good English communication skills can help them thrive in the competitive workplace.
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During the visit, the delegation also held discussions with Tan Tieniu, part secretary of Nanjing University (NJU). Both parties expressed their desire to continue strengthening international cooperation, promoting joint research on Portuguese-speaking countries, and enhancing cooperation in areas such as digital humanities, student and faculty exchange, talent cultivation, and research projects. Other NJU members participated in the meeting included Gu Cheng, director of the International Affairs Office and professor at the School of Environment, Wang Wei, director of the Office of Discipline Construction and Development Planning and professor at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wu Yuxiao, dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Zhu Xiaoyi, associate dean of the Institute for International Students.
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In the visit to the University of Malaya, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) Yvonne Lim Ai Lian warmly received the delegation. Following their visit to the university in November last year, where they signed a memorandum of cooperation, Rector Jun Liu and Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor Yvonne Lim Ai Lian signed a student exchange agreement on behalf of both universities. This will further strengthen talent exchange and provide a platform for students to engage in international learning, while also working together to cultivate high-end professionals with an international perspective.
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