Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng made an inspection trip to Guangdong Province from May 15–17 to enhance cooperation between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Guangdong provincial government, and push forward industry–education integration and innovation in higher education to support the development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. Governor of Guangdong Province Wang Weizhong attended the consultation between the MOE and the provincial government.
Huai acknowledged Guangdong’s achievements in increasing international cooperation in education and giving full play to the strategic role of education in supporting scientific research and talent cultivation.
Huai expressed hope that Guangdong would carry out two pilot projects, i.e., the development of high-level research institutes and engineering colleges, by boosting close cooperation between educational institutions and actors in critical areas of related industries. He also stressed the need to explore innovative mechanisms for deeper and more flexible educational cooperation in the Greater Bay Area.
Huai underlined that bold attempts in reform and innovation must be based on a thorough understanding of the unique position of the Greater Bay Area and the role of higher education in China’s modernization drive. He called for reform in research paradigms by facilitating interdisciplinary studies and the cultivation of professionals with expertise in multiple fields. In addition, he suggested that higher education institutions in the Greater Bay Area form an alliance to deepen their cooperation with each other and with the world’s leading universities.
Wang thanked the MOE for its long-term support for educational reform in Guangdong. He pledged to step up efforts to turn the Greater Bay Area into a global sci-tech innovation center, advance vocational education, and bolster balanced and quality development of education, among other things. He also said that his province would work more closely with the MOE and share the lessons learned in pilot projects and the exploration of innovative mechanisms.
During his tour, Huai visited several universities, companies, and research institutes in Guangdong.
