University of Saint Joseph and Yangzhou University Sign Cooperation Agreement at 4th Rectors’ Forum
University of Saint Joseph and Yangzhou University Sign Cooperation Agreement at 4th Rectors' Forum
23
Jun
23/06/2026
Yangzhou University and USJ signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the Forum for Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries and visited the Ilha Verde Campus after the Forum.
On 15 June 2026, at the opening ceremony of the 4th Forum for Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries, an exchange and cooperation agreement was signed between the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and Yangzhou University to further strengthen educational exchange and talent cultivation. The Forum was co-organised by the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) and the Chinese–Portuguese Bilingual Talent Training Alliance, which comprises USJ and four other local universities. The newly signed agreement covers faculty and student exchanges, collaborative research, and academic exchange initiatives. It was signed concurrently by Dr Alejandro Salcedo, Acting Rector of the University of Saint Joseph, and Dr Cai Yingwei, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Yangzhou University Committee.
The Forum, themed ‘Empowerment Through Technology and Interconnection Through Language — Macao‒Hengqin Synergy in Joint Cultivation of Chinese‒Portuguese International Talent’, was held alongside the 35th Annual Meeting of the Association of Portuguese-Speaking Universities (AULP). Together, the two events drew more than 150 leaders and representatives from higher education institutions and organisations across the Chinese mainland, Macao, and Portuguese-speaking countries, including Portugal, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Timor-Leste.
The opening ceremony took place on the afternoon of 15 June. Officiating guests included O Lam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR); Lyu Yuyin, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the MSAR; Gao Yuan, Director of the Department of Information and Public Diplomacy at the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the MSAR; Kong Chi Meng, Director of the DSEDJ; Xie Ying, Deputy Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Macao); and Dr Alejandro Salcedo Garcia, Acting Rector of the University of Saint Joseph, alongside other university representatives from Mainland China, Macao, and Portuguese-speaking nations.
The Forum featured three sub-forums focusing on ‘Pooling “Bilingual + Professional” International Talent’, ‘AI-Empowered Humanities Communication in New Media’, and ‘Promoting the Institutional Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture into Higher Education Programmes in Portuguese-Speaking Countries’. The sub-forum on ‘AI-Empowered Humanities Communication in New Media’, held on 16 June, was organised and hosted by USJ, with Dr Cai Yingwei of Yangzhou University invited as a featured speaker.
On the morning of 17 June 2026, a delegation from Yangzhou University visited the USJ Ilha Verde Campus, building on a previous exchange in April when USJ Vice-Rector Dr Teresa Loong visited Yangzhou University. The two institutions renewed their dialogue to focus on implementing their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and advancing collaborative efforts across various academic disciplines.
At the meeting, Dr Teresa Loong warmly welcomed the Yangzhou University delegation, outlining USJ’s distinctive international educational model and its commitment to academic quality. She expressed great anticipation for the partnership, highlighting potential avenues for high-quality educational development and international exchange. She emphasised that USJ has recently received approval from the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China to expand its postgraduate admissions across all 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government, offering excellent opportunities to broaden student progression pathways and attract high-calibre candidates.
In her address, Dr Cai Yingwei presented an overview of Yangzhou University’s operations. She expressed an interest in deepening research collaboration by leveraging the respective strengths of both institutions, particularly through faculty-student exchanges and interdisciplinary cooperation in fields such as AI-enhanced education, marine ecological protection, and environmental governance, with the ultimate goal of establishing a sustainable research partnership. Plans to expand exchanges include developing flagship study programmes, establishing mechanisms for faculty visits and joint postgraduate training, and promoting credit recognition alongside cultural exchange initiatives.
Following the meeting, representatives from both sides engaged in informal discussions, concluding the event with an exchange of souvenirs and group photographs. The meeting achieved a preliminary consensus on multiple areas of cooperation, laying a solid foundation for a long-term, stable partnership. USJ will continue to work closely with Yangzhou University to build a broader platform for academic and research excellence.
