The EU-China Guangzhou Forum on International Cooperation in Higher Education 2025, hosted by Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University (GPNU) and co-organized by the EU–China Higher Education Research Center (ECHE) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), was successfully held on October 20–21, 2025, at GPNU’s Baiyun Campus.
A delegation from VUB, led by Vice-Rector Prof. Karin Vanderkerken, attended the forum, marking another milestone in the partnership between VUB, ECHE, and GPNU. The delegation included Prof. Vanderkerken, Dr. Jacqueline Couder, Director of the International Relations Office; Ms. Xiaohong Tong, Officer at the International Relations and Mobility Office; Prof. Chang Zhu, Director of ECHE; Anthony Antoine, Executive Director of the Brussels School of Governance; Prof. Marc Theeboom from the Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy; Prof. Reynier Inocente Revilla Castillo from the Faculty of Engineering; Prof. Carlo De Asmundis from the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy; Prof. Tan Lu from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School; and Prof. Yunfeng Nie from the Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences.
Focusing on “New Pathways for Higher Education in the AI Era,” “New Directions for China–Europe Cooperation,” and “Integration of Academic Publishing and Disciplinary Development,” the forum gathered leading experts and scholars from both China and the EU to discuss innovation, digital transformation, and cross-regional collaboration in higher education.
Among the Chinese participants were Prof. Guorui Fan, Professor at East China Normal University; Prof. Xiaozhong Lu, Distinguished Professor (Changjiang Scholar) at the Ministry of Education; Prof. Xudong Liu from Northwest Normal University; Prof. Sudebilige from Minzu University of China; Prof. Wen Wen, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Education at Tsinghua University; Prof. Hui Liu, former Dean of the Faculty of Education at Guangzhou University; Prof. Hui Xu from Southwest University; Prof. Shaoyuan Wang, Director of the Institute of Higher Education at Liaoning University; and Prof. Huanling Ma, Dean of the Graduate School at Guangxi Normal University. Representatives from major Chinese academic journals such as Jiangsu Higher Education, Educational Development Research, Modern Educational Management, Contemporary Education Science, and Higher Education Exploration, as well as editors from Science Press, also attended the event.
At the opening ceremony, Prof. Qingyun Dai, President of GPNU, and Prof. Karin Vanderkerken, Vice-Rector of VUB, delivered keynote speeches. Prof. Dai explored “Transformation and Challenges of Higher Education in the Intelligent Era,” while Prof. Vanderkerken presented on “Ethical Use of AI for Research,” sharing VUB’s practices in promoting ethical and responsible AI use in academia.
In her concluding remarks, Prof. Chang Zhu, Director of ECHE, highlighted that the forum served as a valuable platform for academic dialogue and cooperation between China and Europe. She emphasized that the insights and discussions at the forum reflected the shared vision of both sides to advance excellence, inclusiveness, and sustainability in higher education.
European experts including Prof. Vinayagum Chinapah (Stockholm University, Sweden), Prof. Marc Theeboom (VUB, Belgium), and Anthony Antoine (VUB, Belgium) also shared experiences on teaching innovation, research collaboration, and university governance.
The forum has further enhanced the visibility and influence of ECHE as a key bridge connecting Chinese and European higher education communities. ECHE will continue to promote joint research, policy dialogue, and academic exchange, contributing to the advancement of higher education innovation and cooperation in the AI era.
