Peking University, Sept. 7, 2013: China and Australia’s highest educational institutions formally agreed to exchange their administrative staff.

“We anticipate further cooperation with Australian National University (ANU),” said Professor Zhu Shanlu, chairman of the Peking University (PKU) Council.

The Australian delegates included Ms. Katy Gallagher, chief minister of the Australian Capital Territory, which ANU locates in the heart of. On this visit, she sent to Professor Zhu an invitation to the later-on centenary of Canberra, the sister city of Beijing since 2000.

Gallagher meets Zhu Shanlu.

There have been personnel interchanges between the two universities for years. Dated back to 1996, the PKU Australian Studies Center brings together local scholars and their Australian colleagues to advance research on Australia. Now, a new college under construction will likewise provide an opportunity to focus the both sides on Chinese studies, according to PKU President Wang Enge.

Before the signing ceremony, Wang introduced PKU’s efforts to improve its teaching quality. He hoped that the students would in this way develop independent thinking — and then independent research abilities.

The students’ “critical thinking” is also the concern of ANU President Ian Young. Witnessing the booming of modern information technology, he supposed that the university should jump out of the traditional monopoly of knowledge.

Young and Wang exchanged signed files.

Recently, both PKU and ANU were accepted by edX, a global online education project. In the eyes of President Young, it is an irrevocable trend to share their resources with as more people as possible.

President Wang also invited Ms. Gallagher and President Young to attend Beijing Forum.

Edited by: Arthars

Source: Office of International Relations