On October 18, Frederik D’Hulster, President of Howest University of Applied Sciences, paid a visit to ZJSU, along with his delegation. President Wang Yonggui met with the guests and Gu Qing, the Vice President, and other staff members from the International Office and College of International Education attended the meeting.

Wang Yonggui, on behalf of ZJSU, warmly welcomed Frederik D’Hulster and his delegation. He emphasized that the cooperation has been greatly backed by the provincial governments and relevant departments on both sides, and the guidance provided by provincial leaders regarding the future direction of our cooperation is of great significance. Over a decade of sincere collaboration makes Howest one of the most important and closely connected partners of ZJSU. ZJSU boasts evident advantages in international education, in which both universities share a strong desire for cooperation, and a passionate belief to build upon previous cooperation, school-running realities, and respective strengths, thus furthering their cooperation at a comprehensive, wide-ranging, and profound level.

 

Frederik D’Hulster expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and considerate arrangements. He then highlighted the collaboration of the Confucius Institutes, through which Howest University of Applied Sciences took the lead in the “Chinese Business Studies” program in Belgium with remarkable outcomes. Meanwhile, six Belgian students’ being awarded national scholarships currently engage in exchange programs at ZJSU. To further enhance research collaboration, the two universities also signed an agreement, which drives their cooperation to a broader point. It is hoped that this opportunity will usher in a new phase of deepened cooperation.

Following that, the delegation from the two universities delved into detailed discussions and achieved initial consensus on advancing cooperation in the “Chinese Business Studies” program, as well as exploring the possibilities of dual-degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The delegation also visited the History Museum of ZJSU, where they highly praised the school-running history and internationalization efforts of ZJSU. They expressed great anticipation and confidence in the future cooperation between the two universities.

The two universities established partnership in 2012, leading to the official inauguration of the jointly operated Confucius Institute in April of the same year. Recognized as the “Confucius Institute of the Year” in 2019, this collaboration has thrived. In 2021, Howest University of Applied Sciences launched an undergraduate program in Chinese Business Studies, standing out as the sole Chinese Business program offering in Belgium. The two universities signed the Agreement on Deepened Scientific Research Cooperation witnessed by Carl Decaluwé, Governor of West Flanders, Belgium, and Chen Yanqin, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government.