On May 6th, the China Association of Higher Education released the list of Chinese member universities for the 100 Chinese and African Universities Cooperation Plan and the Chinese member universities for the exchange mechanism of the China-Africa University Alliance. Our university was selected for the “China-Africa University Alliance” in the field of agricultural development. Only 8 universities in Henan Province were selected for this alliance.

Professor Yao Lunguang of our university is in charge of the alliance project application. He relies on the scientific research cooperation project with the Agricultural and Biology Research Division of the National Research Centre in Egypt, and plans to strengthen and expand scientific research with relevant units in Egypt in the fields of agricultural ecological facilities, agricultural ecosystems, agricultural water-saving irrigation, and farmland soil environmental protection through this project.

It is reported that the China-Africa University Alliance Exchange Mechanism is an important measure to implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing a Partnership signed by the China Association of Higher Education and the Association of African Universities in November 2022. It aims to implement the Nine Projects of China-Africa cooperation proposed at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. It is designed to provide top-level design for China-Africa higher education cooperation, launch the China-Africa 100 Universities Cooperation Plan, deepen exchanges and cooperation among universities in China and Africa, and enhance students’ understanding and recognition of the joint construction of a China-Africa community with a shared future by building platforms and mechanisms. The exchange mechanism is organized and initiated by the Ministry of Education, and the China Association of Higher Education is responsible for its specific implementation. It mainly focuses on ten fields, including digital education, health, agricultural development, trade and investment, mineral resources, connectivity, environment and sustainable development, language, culture and mutual learning of civilizations, national social governance, media communication and national image. It carries out inter-university cooperation in a cluster form in areas such as joint scientific research, student exchange, teacher visits, and talent training, and conducts relevant research on major theoretical issues of China-Africa and practical issues of cooperation in various fields. After qualification review and expert evaluation, 252 universities have been accepted as Chinese member universities of the China-Africa University Alliance exchange mechanism.