Page 2182 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 4 August 2015
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The delegation then met with the mayor of Beijing, Mr Wang Anshun. In that meeting, discussion focused on mission objectives, the collaborative opportunities these would deliver for both Canberra and Beijing and the mutual benefits shared via our sister city agreement. Given Mayor Wang’s position in Chinese society—as the leader of Beijing, the third-largest city in the entire world, and one of the most significant and important people in China—our sister city agreement ensures that we have ready access and support for exchanges of economic and cultural benefit.
Mayor Wang was fully aware of the quality and popularity of Canberra’s universities amongst Chinese students choosing to travel overseas, and was pleased that the ACT government is delivering initiatives that will encourage further education collaboration between Beijing’s and Canberra’s most prominent educational institutions.
Mayor Wang visited our city himself in November 2014, when he was greeted by the then Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher. Mayor Wang spoke first-hand of Canberra and its people. He indicated that he was particularly pleased that Canberra had agreed to host the Qing exhibition, stating that it was a superb opportunity to grow the cultural exchange between Australian and China.
The delegation’s next two engagements highlighted the opportunities and benefits flowing from our exchange of higher education services and programs. Peking University hosted the delegation as part of their annual ANU Day activities, which recognise and promote the close relationship between the two universities. Joining with ANU vice-chancellor Professor Ian Young as part of the day’s activities, I delivered an address to a gathering of staff and students from Peking University highlighting the importance of universities to the territory’s economy and promoting the ACT’s education credentials.
With one in nine Canberrans either studying at or employed by one of our universities, Canberra’s participation in the knowledge economy is stronger than anywhere else in Australia. The higher education and research sector contributes around $2.6 billion each year to Canberra’s economy, supports around 16,000 jobs and teaches 44,000 students annually. This includes almost 12,000 international students. With these impressive figures in mind, presenting to Peking University on behalf of the ACT government was an important event in promoting the ACT’s education credentials and reinforcing our significant support for the ANU.
Continuing the education focus, later that day the delegation attended Beijing’s Renmin University to join with University of Canberra vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Parker and Renmin University vice-president Professor Yi Zhihong as they renewed an agreement reaffirming their commitment to a student articulation program, staff exchanges and joint research collaboration. Again, it is pleasing to be able to support the University of Canberra by demonstrating the ACT government’s interest in seeing its successful partnership with Renmin University continue to go from strength to strength.
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