The Durban University of Technology (DUT) currently hosts the Confucius Institute (CI) and on, 7 December 2018, the fifth meeting of the Second Board of Advisers of the Confucius Institute was held at the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) in China.

The meeting was co-chaired by Professor Thandwa Mthembu, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of DUT and Professor Zheng Baodong, Vice-President of FAFU. In attendance from the DUT delegation were Professor Sibusiso Moyo, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement and the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute, Dr Lin Wu. The FAFU delegation also included persons in charge of the International Cooperation and Exchange Division.

At the meeting, the two sides reached an agreement on the relevant issues. Firstly, Professor Sibusiso Moyo was appointed as the foreign director of the DUT Confucius Institute; Secondly, the two sides agreed to strongly support the Durban Confucius Institute to apply for the establishment of vocational and special skill training centre, which is characteristic of the Chinese and Vocational Skills Training Centre.

After the meeting, the President of FAFU, Lan Siren, met with the the DUT delegation and both parties agreed to renew the MOU between the two universities. President Lan fully affirmed the development and the achievements of the Confucius Institute made in the past years, and thanked the two sides for the joint efforts, and expressed his congratulation to Professor Thandwa Mthembu for the honour of the “Confucius Institute individual Performance Excellence Award. He emphasized the importance of the two universities working together to promote the development of various fields of the Confucius Institute and build a broader platform for talent exchange and scientific research cooperation between the two universities.

The delegation from DUT also visited the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at FAFU, to understand the relevant situation about the research, innovation, teaching and learning infrastructure and discussed the specific cooperation between the two universities in terms of staff/student exchanges and academic research and innovation. They also visited the upcoming Oriental Red Cup National College Student Intelligent Agricultural Equipment Innovation Competition which showcases Chinese innovations by students mainly organised through the Mechanical Engineering College.

Pictured: Dr Lin Wu (Director: Confucius Institute), Professor Thandwa Mthembu (Vice-Chancellor and Principal of DUT), Professor Lan Siren (President FAFU); Professor Sibusiso Moyo (DVC Research, Innovation and Engagement (DUT), at the signing ceremony.

Dr Lin Wu