From June 18 to 21, ZHENG Yu, University Council Chairman of BUCEA, led a delegation to Ethiopia to attend the Inauguration Ceremony of the Sino-Ethiopian International Talent Training and Practice Base in Civil and Transportation Engineering (hereinafter referred to as the “Base”), and visited the Ministry of Education , Ethiopia, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University and Regional Centre for East Africa, China First Highway Engineering Co., Ltd. to carry out a series of exchange and visit activities focusing on the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, the promotion of China-Africa education and research cooperation in civil and transportation engineering, international talent cultivation as well as industry-university-research collaboration. Relevant cooperation agreements and memorandums were signed on behalf of BUCEA, achieving fruitful results.

At the inauguration ceremony, ZHENG Yu delivered a speech on behalf of BUCEA and signed a letter of intent for cooperation with the acting president of Addis Ababa University, the president of Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, and the general manager of Regional Centre for East Africa, China First Highway Engineering Co., Ltd. H.E. Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance, Ethiopia, LIU Wei, Deputy Secretary of C.P.C Beijing Municipal Committee; President of the Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, H.E. Kora Tushune, State Minister of Education, Ethiopia and SHEN Qinmin, Minister Counselor of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia attended the ceremony and delivered speeches. LIU Wei and H.E. Kora Tushune jointly unveiled the plaque for the base and witnessed the representatives of the four parties signing the letter of intent on the construction of the base.

The Inauguration Ceremony of the Base 

Signing by the four parties

Speech by ZHENG Yu, University Council Chairman of BUCEA

During his visit to the Ministry of Education, Ethiopia, ZHENG Yu met with H.E. Kora Tushune, State Minister of Education, Ethiopia, and introduced the history of BUCEA, its advantages and characteristics, internationalization progress, and the Belt and Road Architectural University International Consortium initiated by BUCEA to implement the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the development plan of building the base. H.E. Kora Tushune said that the Ethiopian side strongly supports the construction of the base and hopes that more Ethiopian universities will join the Belt and Road Architectural University International Consortium and the base.

Exchanging views with H.E. Kora Tushune, State Minister of Education, Ethiopia

At Addis Ababa University, ZHENG Yu exchanged views with the Vice President of AAU on deepening the cooperation between the two universities on joint training of master and doctoral degree holders, and invited AAU to join the Belt and Road Architectural University International Consortium. Both sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding between BUCEA and AAU.

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding with AAU

Exchanging views with Samson Mekonnen, Vice President for Strategic Communication and Internationalization

At Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, ZHENG Yu met with the President of AASTU and signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the two sides, inviting it to join the Belt and Road Architectural University International Consortium. The two sides reached a number of cooperation consensus on scientific research cooperation and application of achievements in the fields of architecture, civil and transportation engineering. ZHENG Yu and his delegation also visited the research building project of AASTU constructed by China Communications Construction Group Corporation.

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding with AASTU

ZHENG Yu presenting the English version of the fourth volume of  Xi Jinping: The Governance of China  to President Dereje Engida

Visiting the Research Building Project of AASTU

At the Regional Centre for East Africa, China First Highway Engineering, ZHENG Yu held exchanges and discussions with TAO Hong, authorized representative of Regional Centre for East Africa, and visited the GCH Project (National Convention Center) and other projects of CCCC in Ethiopia. ZHENG Yu introduced BUCEA and expressed his hope to build a joint talent cultivation and scientific and technological innovation platform with the Regional Centre for East Africa.

Exchanging views with Regional Centre for East Africa, China First Highway Engineering Co., Ltd.

Visiting GCH Project (National Convention Center) in Ethiopia

During the visit, the delegation also co-organized the Belt and Road Cooperation Forum on Infrastructure Connectivity in East Africa with AAU, AASTU, and the Regional Centre for East Africa, China First Highway Engineering. More than 100 faculty members and students from AAU and AASTU attended the event.

Belt and Road Cooperation Forum on Infrastructure Connectivity in East Africa

This visit is an important action for BUCEA to actively respond to the Belt and Road Initiative, giving full play to the university’s disciplinary advantages and features, meeting the demand for civil and transportation engineering professionals in the BRI participating countries, and vigorously expanding the field of cooperation with African universities. The delegation introduced BUCEA’s history, advantages, talent training, international exchanges and research platform building, and successfully held the inauguration ceremony of the Sino-Ethiopian International Talent Training and Practice Base in Civil and Transportation Engineering. The visit was fully affirmed and positively responded by the leaders of Beijing Municipality, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Education, Ethiopia, Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, renowned universities and Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia.