On the afternoon of July 10, ahead of the 2025 SCO Digital Economy Forum, representatives from five universities across SCO member states, including National University of Sciences & Technology (Pakistan), University of Sargodha (Pakistan), L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Kazakhstan), Kyrgyz National University, and Tajik National University, visited Nankai University to advance international collaboration in higher education. Chen Yulu, President of Nankai University, met with the representatives at Haibing Center on the Balitai Campus, holding fruitful discussions on deepening multi-faced collaboration. Chen Jun, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of Nankai University, attended the meetings.

Chen Yulu meets with Muhammad Zahid Latif

During his meeting with Muhammad Zahid Latif, Rector of National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Chen Yulu highlighted Nankai’s history, academic strengths, and achievements in global exchange and cooperation. He noted that digital economy is undergoing a period of rapid growth and has become a pivotal force in reshaping global competitive landscape. The upcoming 2025 SCO Digital Economy Forum and the signing of the agreement mark a valuable opportunity and starting point for deeper collaboration between the two universities. By emphasizing the longstanding friendship between China and Pakistan, he expressed hope that the two universities would contribute further to building a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.

Muhammad Zahid Latif expressed his gratitude to Nankai University for its strong support and shared an overview of NUST. He remarked that NKU is a prestigious institution with a long history and rich academic heritage, and expressed hope that the two sides would take the signing as a starting point to deepen cooperation in joint research, talent development, and academic exchange, opening a new chapter in China-Pakistan collaboration in higher education.

Chen Yulu meets with Qaisar Abbas

During his meeting with Qaisar Abbas, Vice Chancellor of University of Sargodha, Chen Yulu noted that as a Nankai University alumnus from the class of 1996, Dr. Abbas has long played an important role in advancing China-Pakistan educational cooperation and fostering the friendship between the two countries. He expressed hope that the two universities would continue to focus on digital economy while expanding collaboration in a wider range of fields, with the aim of cultivating innovative professionals to support the high-quality economic and social development of both nations and setting a model of China-Pakistan higher educational cooperation.

Chen Yulu meets with Bekmanova Gulmira

During his meeting with Bekmanova Gulmira, Vice Rector of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU), Chen Yulu emphasized that Kazakhstan is China’s permanent comprehensive strategic partner, the birthplace of the Belt and Road Initiative, and a founding member of the SCO. He noted that both universities share a long history of cooperation, having achieved fruitful results in joint education programs, faculty-student exchanges, and talent cultivation. Building upon this solid foundation, he expressed hope that both sides could further leverage their respective strengths and use the SCO Digital Economy Forum as an opportunity to demonstrate new developments, breakthroughs, and vitality in educational cooperation within emerging fields.

Bekmanova Gulmira remarked that as a world-renowned institution of higher learning, Nankai University possesses strong academic capabilities and enjoys high academic prestige. She stated that ENU attaches great importance to its close partnership with NKU and looks forward to jointly cultivating more interdisciplinary professionals in digital economy and other fields. Such cooperation, she added, would not only support Kazakhstan’s economic and industrial development but also inject new momentum into the Belt and Road Initiative and regional collaboration.

Chen Yulu meets with Kamchybek uulu Myrzabek

During his meeting with Kamchybek uulu Myrzabek, Vice Rector of Kyrgyz National University, Chen Yulu underscored Nankai University’s high regard for its strategic partnership with Kyrgyz National University. He proposed using their participation in the SCO Digital Economy Forum as a springboard to deepen cooperation in talent cultivation and faculty-student exchanges. He expressed hope that both universities would play a constructive role in the proposed SCO Digital Economy University Alliance and contribute to more fruitful cooperation among SCO member states.

Kamchybek uulu Myrzabek acknowledged that digital economy has become a crucial engine for global economic growth and innovation, creating new opportunities for higher education development. He expressed full support for Nankai University’s proposal to establish the SCO Digital Economy University Alliance and looked forward to further strengthening cooperation between the two universities.

Chen Yulu meets with Miralizoda Emomali Bobo

During his meeting with Miralizoda Emomali Bobo, Assistant to the Rector of Tajik National University, Chen Yulu briefed on Nankai University’s recent developments. He expressed hope that the signing of the cooperation agreement would mark the beginning of broader, deeper and closer cooperation between the two universities, thereby contributing to educational exchanges between China and Tajikistan and supporting high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Miralizoda Emomali Bobo noted the long-standing friendship between China and Tajikistan. He described Nankai University as a world-renowned institution with rich academic resources and expressed confidence that the two universities would achieve greater results in areas such as digital economy and artificial intelligence. He added that such cooperation would help nurture more high-quality professionals and contribute to the development and revitalization of both countries.

Signing of MoU between Nankai University and National University of Sciences and Technology (Pakistan)

Signing of student exchange agreement between Nankai University and University of Sargodha (Pakistan)

Signing of MoU and student exchange agreement between Nankai University and Tajik National University

On the same day, Nankai University signed agreements with the National University of Sciences and Technology (Pakistan), the University of Sargodha (Pakistan), and Tajik National University, further promoting practical cooperation in education among SCO member states. This collective signing marks a key initiative by NKU to support the SCO’s dynamic development, enhance cooperation among Global South countries, contribute to Tianjin’s efforts in building a modern socialist metropolis, and help advance the city’s role in China’s path to modernization. It also represents a new step forward in the university’s high-level opening-up in education.

As a prestigious university with a strong reputation across the world, Nankai University has remained committed to demonstrating the responsibility and leadership of Chinese higher education through its efforts to build a world-class university with Nankai characteristics and rooted in Chinese context. In recent years, NKU has deepened its practical engagement with SCO member states, particularly by leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative’s edges of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits. With Central Asia as a key focus area, the university has established partnerships and substantive cooperation programs with a number of top universities in SCO countries.

Guided by the vision of promoting the “Shanghai Spirit, Chinese manner, and Nankai characteristics”, NKU actively encourages its faculty and students to engage in various SCO initiatives and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind. These efforts aim to enhance mutual understanding and promote people-to-people connectivity. According to incomplete statistics, since 2022, more than 100 faculty members and students have visited SCO member states for exchange, while over 60 international experts from SCO countries have visited the university for academic exchanges. It has also launched “Model SCO” training sessions and offered a special course series titled “Deep Dive into the SCO Summit”.

It is reported that during the 2025 SCO Digital Economy Forum, Nankai University will host a Theme Forum of University Cooperation and propose the establishment of the SCO Digital Economy University Alliance. Through these efforts, NKU aims to support the institutionalization of the China-SCO Digital Economy Cooperation Platform, further deepen exchanges and cooperation with universities across SCO member states, and actively contribute to enhancing SCO collaboration in the new era .

（Edited and translated by Nankai News Team.)