On November 7th, the 9th World Women University Presidents Forum was convened as scheduled. After the opening ceremony, important activities such as keynote speeches, thematic round tables and closing ceremony of the forum proceeded smoothly.
The keynote speech was presided over by Ma Dexiu, former Secretary of Communist Party of China Committee of Shanghai Jiaotong University. Special speeches on the theme of the forum were delivered by Chen Xu, Secretary of CPCC of Tsinghua University, Corat, former Director of Gender Equality Division of UNESCO, Fan Liming, President of Shandong University, Deng Yali, President of World Maritime University, Lei Yaping, President of Xi 'an Technological University, and Noorul, University College of Yayasan of Malaysia,.
Chen Xu said that being in an important period of world development and facing various risks and challenges, universities should shoulder greater historical responsibilities and mission of the times, give full play to the role of bridge and link, increase the strength of stability to human society, and spread more positive energy for building a community of shared future for humankind. Based on the practice and experience of Tsinghua University, she proposed that universities should broaden their horizons and vigorously cultivate outstanding talents with global competence, strengthen scientific and technological innovation and jointly tackle global problems and meet world challenges, demonstrate an open attitude for the new pattern of exchanges and cooperation among various fields, uphold the rationality for the inheritance and development, harmony and coexistence of human civilization, so as to make our own contribution to a new chapter of building a community of shared future for humankind with our wisdom and action.
With her personal experience as the Director of Gender Equality Division of UNESCO, Corat reviewed and summarized ways for reform in management and transformation of UNESCO based on gender equality, providing guidance for gender equality in international organizations.
Starting her speech from revolutions on both "teaching" and "learning" in higher education because of COVID-19 epidemic and the summary of teaching experience in Shandong University, Fan Liming believed that universities should attach great importance to the improvement of "four abilities": the top-level design ability of the university, managerial ability of the college, online teaching ability of the teachers, and self-learning ability of the students. She also said that higher education should also lay emphasis on the realization of three "transformations": the transformation of educational concept, education mode and development mechanism. At the end of her speech, she called on all of us to unite as one, to tide over the crisis with joint efforts, and to promote the innovation and development of higher education around world together.
Taking her own career and the change of the number of female graduate students enrolled in the World Maritime University as examples, Deng Yali pointed out that "achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls", the fifth of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, could be found in the global agenda of the United Nations. Ensuring their good command of basic knowledge and professional skills to solve problems and meet challenges is my promise to students. Engaging in education innovation and the emphasizing the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to ensure economic competitiveness is the mission of the universities.
Beginning her speech with the long splendid history and culture of Xi’an, Lei Yaping pointed out that in the memory of history, Xi 'an brought to the world not only gorgeous silk, exquisite porcelain, elegant poetry, but also broad, refined, rich and profound Chinese civilization. Xi 'an, the origin and root of Chinese civilization, with its unique quality as both gravity and vitality, tradition and modernity, is telling Chinese stories to the world in its own manner, and marching towards the future with its own speed. She sincerely hopes that the flowers of civilization, wisdom and innovation cultivated in this forum will bloom everywhere.
Taking typical examples of successful “grassroots start-ups” in Vietnam, Nepal, China, Malaysia and other countries, Noorul concluded that women are the main body of social and economic activities, so investing in women's start-ups is the most hopeful model and a wise measure in economics, through which gender equality and women empowerment can be achieved.
The thematic round tables were chaired by Gao Xiaohong, deputy director of the Academic Committee of Institute of Modern Women’s Leadership, and also director of Journalism and Communication Department of Communication University of China. Many female experts and scholars attended in the round tables, such as Cheng Jialing, honorary chairman of Shixin University, Judith Kinnear, former president of Massey University of New Zealand, Mirena, former president of Belgrade Art University in Serbia, Varantola, former chairman of Tampere University in Finland, Gulsun, president of European Association of Women University Presidents and also former president of Istanbul University of Science and Technology in Turkey, Manju, president of Nepal College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Park Dongshun, chairman of Dongseo University of Korea, Zhao Xuemei, deputy secretary of CPCC of Wuhan University, Shan Honghong, former secretary of CPCC of China University of Petroleum, Chang Qinhe, President of Jilin Foreign Studies University, and etc.
Focusing on the theme of “The 20th Anniversary of the Forum-History and Future", they reviewed the unforgettable events of the Forum in the past 20 years from different respects, summed up the important achievements and important roles of the Forum, and discussed future of the Forum and looked further ahead. Before the start of the round tables, they watched a documentary "The Gentle Water", a specially-made short film for the 20th anniversary of the forum, recollecting the history of the forum, its good times and hard ones.
The closing ceremony of the Forum was presided over by Chen Weijia, executive vice chairman of the Organizing Committee of World Women University Presidents Forum, vice chairman and secretary general of the Institute of Modern Women’s Leadership, and former director of University Affairs Department under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education of China.
Wu Qidi, former deputy minister of the Ministry of Education of China, consultant of the Organizing Committee of the World Women University Presidents Forum, and director of the Academic Committee of the Institute of Modern Women's Leadership, read out The Decision of Commending the Ten Sub-forums. The following ten universities and organizations were awarded the "Special Contribution Prizes" of the forum, Massey University in New Zealand, Chengxi International University in Japan, University of Hawaii at Hilo in the United States, Istanbul University of Science and Technology in Turkey, African Women's University in Zimbabwe, Pan American Higher Education Association, College of Journalism and Mass Communication in Nepal, Tampere University in Finland, Dimitri Cantemere Christian University in Romania，and Ural National Normal University in Russia.
Seven presidents, including Liu Liqun, Dean of China Women's College, Zhao Meirong, Deputy Secretary of CPCC Committee of Tianjin University, Zhou Jianbo, Deputy Secretary of CPCC Committee of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Zhu Jianmei, Vice President of Southwest Jiaotong University, Cheng Yanlei, Vice President of Anhui University, Yao Lingzhen, Vice President of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and Yang Xuemei, President of Yellow River Institute of Science and Technology, read out Xi 'an Declaration together which was unanimously approved. According to the Declaration, the 10th World Women University Presidents Forum will be held in Jilin International Studies University in 2022.
Liu Jinan, Chairman of the World Women University Presidents Forum and Dean of Modern Women’s Leadership Institute, delivered a closing speech. Liu Jinan stated that this forum, unique and unforgettable, is a great success with fruitful results, offering great opportunity for sharing views on the changes of the world and the evolution of civilization at the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, and discussing topics such as intelligent society and university innovation, university governance and social development, gender equality and women's leadership, and etc.
Liu Jinan shared her thinking of the forum. First, with the help of new achievements of Internet science and technology, the forum take on a new look: online and offline participation, live and video sharing, which has never done before in previous forums. Second, the trend of civilization in the post-epidemic era has given universities a new mission. In today's uncertain and unstable world, universities need to cultivate outstanding talents with cross-cultural communication and global governance ability to cope with the common crises and challenges faced by mankind. Third, the success of the forum is a good example of its vitality. In spite of epidemic, nearly 200 guests from 64 countries and regions took all the means for the participation. Mutual learning among civilizations in the forum is the full manifestation of the Silk Road Spirit: openness, tolerance, mutual understanding, and excellence of women’s leadership: commitment, devotion and perseverance. Liu Jinan hopes that in the future, the Forum will adhere to its aims, cling to its ideas, and keep pace with the times for further practice of "a solid humanistic exchange, a deep educational exchange, a thoughtful mental exchange, and considerable spiritual exchange", and for further enhancement of its publicity, its research power, and its influence, so as to better promote mutual learning among civilizations.
On behalf of all the teachers and students of Xi 'an Technological University, Lei Yaping presented Liu Jinan with a bouquet of Phalaenopsis which is a symbol of the forum, expressing her sincere greetings and respect.
Finally, in the chorus of "Light of Women" by Xi 'an University of Technology College Students Choir, the 9th World Women University Presidents Forum was successfully concluded.
During the forum, the guests visited Jiaotong University Westward Relocation Museum, apprehending the spirit of Westward Relocation, and getting motive strength for the future.
The World Women University Presidents Forum was initiated by Communication University of China (formerly Beijing Broadcasting Institute) in August 2001 especially for women, for education and for the world. Specifically, it aims at the development of higher education and, the enhancement of women's leadership, the unite of strength of the world women university presidents, the construction of an intelligent international platform for cooperation, communication, and sharing. Since its establishment, the World Women University Presidents Forum has successfully held eight main forums and ten sub-forums.
This forum was jointly sponsored by the Organizing Committee of the Forum/Institute of Modern Women’s Leadership, Xi'an Technological University and Communication University of China, and co-organized by China Education Television and Xi 'an Silicon Alley of Science and Technology Innovation Co., Ltd..
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