On August 5, 2021, the South African Vocational University and High School Teacher Training Program was successfully launched. Zhao Min, President and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Wenzhou University, attended the online launching ceremony and delivered a speech. Huang Wenhao, Director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Office of Wenzhou University, Ye Miao, Dean of the College of International Education, Cai Fengjing, Vice Dean of the College of Mathematics and Science, Xiong Yong, Vice Dean of the College of International Education, Cao Mengmeng, a teacher of the Mathematics Department of the College of Mathematics and Science and other related staff also attended the launching ceremony.
The program is jointly organized by the Education and Training Department of the South African Department of Higher Education, the Teacher Development Division of the South African Department of Higher Education, and the South African Center for Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange. This is the first time for South African prospective teachers to study systematically in China on a large scale, which is a milestone in South Africa and is highly valued by the South African Ministry of Higher Education and departments at all levels.
The duty of training prospective South African mathematics teachers was entrusted to our university, enrolling approximately 10-15 students per year for an undergraduate degree. The successful implementation of this project is a positive response to the promotion of China-Africa cooperation advocated by our country. It is also of great significance in expanding the scale of international students education at our university, improving the quality of our students, and broadening future cooperation.
In the speech, President Zhao Min said that Wenzhou University is confident in carrying out this “Mathematics Teacher Training Plan.” Wenzhou, with rich cultural and human resources, has been the cradle of mathematicians since ancient times, it boasts comprehensive strength and distinctive features of teacher education, and mathematics and applied mathematics (teacher training) is one of the majors with the longest history at the university.
Ye Miao, Dean of CIE, thanked the South African Center for Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange for its trust and promised that CIE and College of Mathematics and Physics will jointly create high-quality projects for prospective South African mathematics teachers. Mrs. Ye introduced the history and features of our international students’ education.
At the launching ceremony, Counsellor Li Xudong of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa delivered a speech. He said that education cooperation is an important part of humanistic exchanges and is of great significance to the friendly exchanges between China and African countries. A good start is half of the success, and good educational resources are an important cornerstone for the smooth development of this educational cooperation. As the world is currently facing the danger of the new coronavirus, this educational cooperation project also faces many uncertainties in the process of carrying out, but he believes that there must be opportunities when there are challenges, and there are always more solutions than difficulties. He said that if both parties encounter any problems in the process of cooperation, he will provide active help.
