French and Chinese education institutions pledge closer cooperation

France and China are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic ties, and Chinese President Xi Jinping visited France last month for a state visit. 

To further promote relations between the two sides, a Sino-French Education Development Forum was held this week in Paris with top education officials from both countries. They want to find more ways to collaborate in the field of education, with a focus on medicine.

"Higher education in a country is its greatest asset and the most substantial support for its economic, social development  and culture," China's Education Minister, Huai Jinpeng, told CGTN. "It nurtures excellent talents who create knowledge and facilitate technological transfer, significantly contributing to the international community's development," he added.

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The discussion centered on international cooperation. Friday's exhibition showcased the significant role of global education in enhancing understanding, trust and deepening friendship between the two peoples.

Agreements were also signed between French institutions and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, focusing on the necessity of student exchange programs. Right now, 30 Chinese students are enrolled in various programs in France, with both sides pledging to increase the number.

"Sino-French School of Medicine of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine – in this school, we will receive 60 students," said Marc Delpech, Director of the Genetics Laboratory at the Institut Cochin, Paris University. "Not 30 like we had before, but 60 – half will be clinicians, and half will be researchers. And, we start at the present time, and I am sure, it will grow very rapidly."

Decades of collaboration

This forum and agreements come as China and France celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties. For more than a century, the two countries have also shared in other areas, including education, specifically cooperation between hospitals and universities. 

Back in 1997, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine was incorporated into the bilateral cooperation framework. And today, the two sides are looking to take it a step even further, including AI.

"We're excited to see the future, because we are facing a technology advance," said Jiang Fan, Chair of the school's Dean's Council. "Traditionally, we involve many medical services and clinical research. In the future, maybe we will also involve more collaboration in basic science and AI for science. This is a kind of new technology in both China and France. We should embrace that kind of technology."

After all these decades of diplomatic ties and educational cooperation, the two countries hope to continue strengthening their global connections.

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