March 25, 2015: The Asia-Pacific Association for International Education Conference and Exhibition (APAIE) Presidents’ Roundtable was held at the Yingjie Overseas Exchange Centre in Peking University early this morning. Presidents and vice presidents of higher education institutions in the Asia-Pacific region gathered to discuss and take questions about their reports. The theme of this year is: Universities: Driving Force for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.
Professor Li Yansong, vice president of Peking University, extended a sincere welcome to all distinguished guests. He stressed that a university is not only a educational institution and research centre but also a place for students to obtain advanced knowledge. Professor Katsuichi Uchida, president of APAIE, also attended the conference and delivered an important speech. It could not be ignored that universities play significant roles in driving innovation and economic development.
The conference was made up of two discussion sessions with a host, a speaker and three leading speakers. As the first presenter, Ian O’Connor, president of Griffith University, conveyed the responsibility of modern public universities. Focusing on the association between economic growth and environmental disaster, Professor O’Connor argued that the healthy environment should not be the price of fast economic development, and it is the mission of universities to continue providing knowledge and advanced technologies for social progress. Claudia Leopold, vice president of University of Hamburg, stated that many innovation projects have been developed in German universities. It seems essential to promote cooperation between universities and companies, which would encourage innovative ideas.
Peking University, as the main host, worked together with other top Chinese institutions of higher learning in welcoming guests to the 10th Annual APAIE Conference from March 23 to 26, 2015 in Beijing.
Background Information: The APAIE Annual Conference and Exhibition is one of the most well known forums in the Asia-Pacific region for bringing together policy-makers and education experts to improve professional skills and learn about new developments in international education. Since its establishment in 2006, APAIE has grown to be the third largest regional education organisation. As a non-profit international organisation, APAIE aims to promote the internationalization of higher education institutions.
Written by: JI Mingzhou
