On April 10, the “2026 China Study Abroad Forum” hosted by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) under the Ministry of Education, was held at the Beijing National Convention Center. Vice President Chen Ge of Donghua University was invited to attend the forum and served as the convenor of the roundtable session of the sub-forum themed “Collaborative Construction and Innovation of the Study Abroad Ecosystem in the Digital Intelligence Era.” On the same platform, he engaged in discussions with guests from Chinese and foreign government departments, universities, research institutions, and industry enterprises, sharing Donghua University’s innovative practices in international education and services, exploring the collaborative construction and future development of a digitally-empowered study abroad service ecosystem.
Zhao Lei, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education, delivered a speech at the sub-forum. Guest speakers included representatives from the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc., Beijing Well-being Foundation, and ZHI CHE (Beijing Zhicheng Law Firm), addressing topics such as national strategy, industry trends, mental health, and legal protection. The sub-forum brought together authoritative perspectives from various sectors, both in China and abroad, providing valuable insights for the development of study abroad services in the new era.
During the roundtable session, Chen Ge presented Donghua University's strategic framework and key initiatives in advancing the internationalization of higher education. In particular, he highlighted the "Joint Institute of Sustainable Development," a collaborative initiative explored jointly with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in July 2025. The institute aims to enhance China's textile industry's voice in the formulation of international rules, offering systemic solutions for the global industry's green transformation. As the convenor of the roundtable, Chen Ge engaged in an in-depth discussion with guests—including Yang Xiaochun, Vice Chairman of the China Association of Career Development for College Graduates; Yuan Honglin, Vice President of Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics; Wan Yinzhong, President of the Australian Academy of Future Education; Katie Normington, Vice Chancellor of De Montfort University, UK; and Jennifer Fernandez, Director of the International Student Affairs Office at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, US—on topics such as macro-level policies for studying abroad in the digital-intelligent era, institutional practices, international experiences, responses to challenges, and ecosystem development. Guests shared insightful perspectives from multiple dimensions, including policy coordination, digital empowerment, humanistic care, risk prevention, and full-cycle support. They emphasized the importance of upholding the original aspiration of education, strengthening cross-cultural adaptability, and building a systematic cooperation framework between government, universities, and society in a technology-driven era.
It is learned that in August 2025, the University signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), and in March 2026, the two parties entered into a project agreement to jointly carry out study abroad preparatory training programs. The collaboration aims to leverage an authoritative platform to develop high-quality programs, including international undergraduate 2+2 pathways and international master's 1+N (one year on campus plus multiple articulation pathways) programs, while actively building the "Study at Donghua" brand.
Donghua University will continue to deepen its strategic partnership with CSCSE, actively integrate into and contribute to the collaborative innovation of the global study abroad service ecosystem, and strive to cultivate more internationally-minded talents with a strong sense of national commitment, thereby contributing "Donghua's efforts" to advancing the high-quality development of education opening-up under China's open-door policy.
