To advance the construction of the Hunan Institute of Engineering – Otago Polytechnic Joint Institute (hereinafter referred to as the "Otago Institute") to high standards and with high quality, and to enhance the standardization and connotation-driven development of Sino-foreign cooperative education, HIE held an Expert Consultation Meeting on Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education on April 7. The meeting invited seasoned experts in the field of Sino-foreign cooperative education from across the country to provide precise guidance for the institute's development. Attending the meeting were Cao Zhiling, University Council Secretary, Luo Yiping, University Council member and Vice President, along with representatives from the International Education College, relevant functional departments, and members of the Otago Institute Preparatory Working Group.
During the meeting, Luo Yiping delivered a welcome address, expressing warm welcome and sincere gratitude to the attending experts on behalf of the university. He noted that the successful approval of the Otago Institute would not have been possible without the professional guidance and strong support provided by the experts during the application phase. The university will take this meeting as an opportunity to earnestly absorb expert insights, translate the guidance into concrete work measures, and fully commit to bringing the preparatory work of the Joint Institute to fruition.
Cao Liying presented a special report on the recent construction efforts of the Otago Institute, systematically introducing the progress and phased achievements made since its approval from four dimensions: institutional framework development, academic preparation, enrollment and marketing, and educational condition guarantees. She also objectively analyzed the current practical challenges faced.
Drawing on their extensive practical experience in the field of Sino-foreign cooperative education, the attending experts focused on core issues such as curriculum integration, teaching quality assurance, faculty team building, enrollment and marketing implementation, financial management standardization, and the development of risk prevention and control systems. They offered a range of forward-looking, targeted, and actionable suggestions and recommendations.
Cao Zhiling delivered the concluding speech. He noted that the meeting was both a high-level learning exchange and a session of precise and practical work guidance. The experts' insightful opinions have clarified pathways and pointed directions for solving challenges in the institute's development, while also providing important references for the university to further elevate its level of international education. He emphasized that the university will organize relevant departments to thoroughly review, study item by item, and implement the experts' suggestions, further deepen communication and coordination with foreign partner institutions, improve the institute's internal governance structure, and strengthen comprehensive guarantees for educational conditions. He called for sparing no effort to establish the Otago Institute as a distinctive Sino-foreign cooperative education institution known for high quality, cultivating more internationally-minded, high-quality applied talents with strong professional competence and practical abilities, and contributing HIE's strength to the regional opening up of education and the high-quality development of higher education.
(Reviewed by: Yang Huan, Cao Liying, Liu Dongbo)
