Lionel Ni Ming-shuan, founding president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou).

Educational exchanges play a key role in tackling global issues collaboratively and fostering exceptional talent, said Lionel Ni Ming-shuan, founding president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou).

The university president leads a delegation, visiting Europe from Jan 24 to Feb 8, seeking to have in-depth communication with 20 world-renowned higher education institutions and consortia in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and France.

The tour marks the first large-scale overseas visit by a delegation from HKUST (GZ), since its official establishment in 2022.

Speaking to China Daily, Ni stressed the need for universities to work together in an era of changes, where technology evolution and climate change are affecting every country regardless of national borders.

"There are some problems which could not be solved by one single country," he said. "For example, the impacts of climate change transcend borders. Another case could be artificial intelligence. I think the world should reach consensus on the ethics of the technology, about what kinds of AI systems are acceptable and what are unacceptable."

Ni expressed hope for opportunities to establish collaborative research projects between HKUST (GZ) and European universities, to deal with issues of common interest.

He noted that the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue will also be reinvigorated.

Launched in 2012, the dialogue brings together decision-makers and practitioners in the areas of education, culture, youth, sport and gender to exchange ideas and practice on how China and the EU can collaborate in areas of common concern. The sixth meeting of the dialogue is scheduled to be held this year.

"We are all for it and ready to get into action," Ni said.

Ma Tao (R), minister counselor of the Chinese Mission to the European Union and Lionel Ni Ming-shuan (L) pose for a group photo with Bernard Dewit (C), chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce at the Chine-EU Higher Education Roundtable in Brussels on Jan 25. 

Another benefit of educational exchanges is that they contribute to cultivating talents with a global perspective, Ni pointed out.

When asked about what could be deemed as talents with a global mindset, Ni said they should be individuals who have the ability to understand and respect different cultures, and exchanges can educate people to appreciate the uniqueness of other cultures, as "interactions promote understanding".

Efforts are being made in multiple aspects to facilitate exchanges during the delegation's visit to Europe as HKUST (GZ) places a high value on internationalization, Ni said.

"I hope we can create opportunities for our students to participate in exchanges to Europe. I also hope to recruit students and faculty members from Europe to foster a diverse cultural environment at home."

As the first higher-learning institution co-established by Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland following the unveiling of the development outline for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in 2019, the university also prioritizes nurturing talents with inter-disciplinary skills and innovation ability anchored to the needs of China and the world, Ni said.

To achieve that goal, HKUST (GZ) has made a series of changes to reform teaching and learning. For example, it has adopted a brand-new academic structure featuring "hubs" and "thrusts" to replace the traditional "colleges" and "departments" to facilitate cross-disciplinary education.

Ni said he hopes that the visit to Europe can also offer new perspectives for reform.

"When you travel to different places, you can always see different things. Therefore, it is important to go out and explore, instead of isolating yourself and thinking only about your own ideas. Whether it is the strengths or weaknesses of others, they serve as references for us."