Xi-Biden summit: China and US pledge to revive academic ties in confidence-building push
- Education groups from both countries meet for the first time since the pandemic, promising to encourage exchanges
- China remains the biggest source of international students for the US but India is closing the gap
In a joint statement on Monday, the China Education Association for International Exchange and the Institute of International Education said the two sides would encourage “their respective higher education institutions to re-engage as well as grow and deepen their cooperation”.
“The two sides affirm their commitment to support the two-way flow of students, teachers, scholars, researchers, and administrative staff from universities, as well as [to] leveraging short-term exchange programmes, internship opportunities, summer schools, cultural visits, and research fellowships,” it said.
They also vowed to build “greater confidence” among leading institutions and directly address “current and future challenges”.
The association is a semi-official body overseen by China’s Ministry of Education and the US institute focuses on international academic exchanges. The institute opened its Beijing office in 2001.
The statement came after leaders from the two organisations held talks in the US in September, their first dialogue since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.