Delegation from the University of Alberta Visits GDUFS

On the morning of July 8, Dr. Verna Yiu, Provost and Vice President (Academic) of the University of Alberta, Mr. Behzad Babakhani, Consul General of Canada in Guangzhou, and their delegation visited Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS). President Yan Xiangbin and Vice President Shen Minghao met with the guests at the VIP Hall of the Administration Building of the Baiyun Mountain Campus. The two sides exchanged views on educational cooperation and cultural exchange.

Highlight from the Meeting

During the meeting, Yan Xiangbin gave a detailed introduction to the university’s history and development, as well as its core strengths. He noted that GDUFS is built upon its distinctive strengths in foreign languages and focuses on key research areas related to international exchange. The university has a broad influence in fields such as international talent cultivation, foreign languages and literature, global governance, studies on foreign-related rule of law, and the international communication of Chinese culture. Academically, GDUFS ranks 43rd nationwide in terms of comprehensive strength in the humanities and social sciences and is also listed in the US News Best Global Universities rankings, demonstrating its strong competitiveness in international education and research. As one of China’s three major foreign studies universities, GDUFS attaches great importance to international cooperation in education. It has established partnerships with over 500 universities and research institutions worldwide and has launched joint programs with universities such as York University in Canada. He emphasized that the International College at GDUFS has accumulated extensive experience in international education through programs such as the 2+2 joint-degree program. He highlighted that the University of Alberta, as a world-class institution, has many strengths that align closely with those of GDUFS. He expressed hope that this visit would serve as a new starting point for deepening collaboration in talent development, faculty exchange, and research cooperation, thereby strengthening the foundation of higher education exchanges between China and Canada and injecting new vitality into mutual cultural learning between the two countries.

Highlight from the Signing Ceremony

Dr. Verna Yiu introduced the distinctive strengths and achievements of the University of Alberta. She noted that as one of the world’s top comprehensive public research universities, the University of Alberta is internationally recognized for its strengths in fields such as artificial intelligence, health sciences, energy technology, and social impact research. She added that the university has a long history of successful collaboration with Chinese universities and expressed her hope to further expand cooperation with GDUFS in areas such as joint education programs, collaborative research, and faculty and student exchanges. She emphasized that both institutions could work together to further promote cultural exchange and talent development between China and Canada.

Mr. Babakhani remarked that the present moment offers a valuable opportunity to advance cooperation between Canada and China, and the Consulate General of Canada in Guangzhou will strongly support collaboration between universities. He emphasized that meaningful outcomes can only be achieved through the joint efforts of both sides, and expressed his hope that practical cooperation in the field of education will inject new momentum into bilateral relations and yield more tangible outcomes through the partnership between the two universities.

Group Photo

Representatives from the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, the International College, and the Center for Canadian Studies of GDUFS also attended the meeting.