Tianjin University Delegation Visits Morocco to Deepen International Exchange

As a leading institution for talent cultivation and knowledge innovation, Tianjin University (TJU) has established transnational academic platforms to provide students with integrated learning-practice opportunities. A TJU delegation of faculty and students paid a visit to Morocco. This study visit has created vivid examples for strengthening China-Morocco cooperation and writing new chapters for a community with a shared future for mankind.

Tianjin University’s Morocco Study Delegation (the Delegation) led by: Du Hui-bin, Dean of the College of Management and Economics; Liu Da-yong, Executive Vice Dean of the School of Public Administration; Liang Xiao-jie, Director of the International Accreditation Office; Zeng Zhao from the Innovative & Practice Base for the Cultivation of Globally Competitive Talents; and Feng Hui from the Global South Academic Research Alliance of TJU.

The delegation comprised of 19 students from the College of Management and Economics, the School of Precision Instrument and Opto-Electronics Engineering, and the School of Foreign Languages, who visited Morocco to participate in international conferences and conduct academic exchanges with local universities and research institutions.

Academic Exchange: Contributing TJU Perspectives

On April 23, a team led by Dean Du Hui-bin arrived at the Higher National School of Administration of Morocco (ENSA) to initiate in-depth cooperation in public administration. ENSA President Nada Biaz extended warm welcome, noting China has become the first country besides France and Belgium to establish student exchanges with ENSA, and expressed hopes for building a long-term partnership.

To deepen understanding of Morocco's governance system, the delegation participated in a series of specially arranged courses and lectures at ENSA. Through thematic lectures and discussion dialogues, they systematically learned about reform pathways for modernization in North African national governance.

During ENSA's advanced course on "Strategic State Asset Management," Abdellatif Zaghnoun, Director-General of Morocco's National Agency for Strategic Management of State Holdings (ANGSPE), delivered a lecture titled "State Shareholding Policy." Using strategic investment cases in Morocco's phosphate industry as examples, he comprehensively analyzed public capital's dual role in "activating market vitality and empowering industrial upgrading" during Morocco's economic transformation. He particularly cited the mixed-ownership reform project at Tangier Tech City as an example, explaining how to integrate China's mature industrial park development experience with Mediterranean investment ecosystems to achieve innovative transformation of cross-border governance wisdom.

"This practice precisely reflects institutional openness and localized adaptation under the BRI initiative," Zaghnoun stated.

Focusing on "platform building + talent cultivation" as the core, both parties agreed to jointly establish an interdisciplinary cooperation platform. They plan to build a China-Africa Global Governance Base as a vehicle for international faculty-student exchanges and joint research, while collaborating with international partners to deepen academic cooperation. The two institutions will develop an "International Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program" targeting international students including those from Africa, adopting a flexible "dual-location segmented + remote" model that combines TJU's mature MPA system (as one of China's first MPA pilot programs with three 5-year international accreditations) with ENSA's characteristics of "national diploma and elite selection". This cooperation holds profound significance for cultivating high-level global governance talents and facilitating mutual learning between Chinese and international academia.

Global Forum: Proposing TJU Solutions

On April 24, the forum "Territorial Governance and Regionalization: Chinese-Moroccan Cross-Perspectives" was held in Rabat. Jointly organized by the Higher National School of Administration of Morocco (ENSA), College of Management and Economics (CoME) of TJU, and Beijing Administration Institute, the forum featured addresses by ENSA President Nada Biaz, H.E. Li Chang-lin, Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, and Professor Du Hui-bin, Dean of CoME at TJU. The forum focused on topics including regional development and the role of higher education in local governance, actively sharing and discussing both parties' experiences in public governance while jointly exploring innovative development pathways.

During the keynote speech session, Professor Liu Da-yong, Associate Professor Feng Hui, Associate Professor Liang Xiao-jie and other invited experts delivered presentations and chaired discussions. The forum concluded that through systematic review of governance practice cases, effective innovative governance approaches can be proposed and implemented to promote establishment of long-term cooperation mechanisms for global governance.

On April 25, Tianjin University and ENSA jointly hosted the China-Africa Global Governance Forum—"Her Power: Women in AI, Redefining Leadership" International Forum, co-chaired by Dean Du Hui-bin and President Nada Biaz with participation from renowned scholars, corporate executives and industry leaders from both countries. Moroccan Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni delivered a keynote speech introducing Morocco's "Digital 2030" strategic blueprint and analyzing pathways for cultivating women's technological leadership. Participants engaged in intellectual exchanges and in-depth discussions on topics including "Reshaping and Practicing Women's Leadership in the AI Era" and "Inclusive Development of AI Technology and Social Empowerment," reaching multiple consensus points. At the forum's conclusion, Tianjin University and ENSA signed a memorandum of understanding on future exchange visits and other matters, laying foundation for further bilateral cooperation and opening a new chapter.

Exploring Corporate Core: Applying TJU Wisdom

To deeply investigate Chinese enterprises' digital infrastructure deployment and localization development pathways in North Africa, the delegation visited Huawei Technologies' Morocco headquarters. Through on-site visits and technical observations, members learned practical experience of how Chinese technology companies empower BRI regional transformation through digital innovation. At Huawei Morocco's Innovation Exhibition Center, both parties held in-depth discussions on cutting-edge topics including AI ethics and mutual recognition of transnational technical standards, focusing on digital technologies' adaptability and sustainability in cross-cultural contexts.

This investigation not only demonstrated Chinese tech companies' technological export capabilities and localized innovation wisdom in overseas markets, but also enabled young students to directly appreciate the importance of mutual learning in technical standards and integration of cultural contexts in "Digital Silk Road" construction, providing vivid case studies for understanding enterprises' role in high-quality BRI development.

Embassy Exchange Dialogue: Offering TJU Perspectives

To promote educational cooperation and mutual learning of local governance experience under the BRI framework, the delegation visited the Chinese Embassy in Morocco on April 23, where both sides conducted in-depth exchanges on topics including governance modernization and higher education cooperation.

During the embassy's thematic symposium, Ambassador Li Chang-lin systematically interpreted new dimensions of China-Morocco strategic partnership, particularly affirming Tianjin's practical experience in local governance modernization: "From the Haihe River banks to the foot of the Atlas Mountains, Chinese cities' innovative governance solutions are becoming important vehicles for civilizational mutual learning." Dean Du Hui-bin proposed hopes to promote two-way transformation and practical application of governance experience through developing customized training programs, thereby establishing long-term cooperation platforms for public administration talent cultivation.

During the academic research and discipline development achievements presentation session, Professor Liu Da-yong, Associate Professor Liang Xiao-jie and Associate Professor Feng Hui delivered reports respectively on factor allocation and public service development, Tianjin governance innovation case analysis, and establishment of China's first Global South Research Institute.

Civilizational Mutual Learning: Showcasing TJU Excellence

At Morocco's Parliament building, delegation members explored deeper connections of bilateral civilizational mutual learning under the BRI framework through political observation and historical dialogue. They observed debates on the "Green Energy Transition Act," gaining close perspective on Morocco's multiparty consultation political ecosystem and legislative procedures while personally experiencing North African countries' governance wisdom regarding sustainable development issues. At the parliamentary museum, a set of commemorative stamps China gifted Morocco for their 50th diplomatic anniversary attracted attention. Delegation member Yang Qian-rou lingered before the display case, noting: "These stamps carry not only diplomatic courtesy but also vivid testimony to cultural exchange between our nations."

This study visit represents active practice responding to the BRI initiative, serving both as an international classroom for TJU students to demonstrate youth responsibility and as important exploration for Tianjin University to deepen international cooperation. During the visit, Tianjin University and the Higher National School of Administration of Morocco (ENSA) further strengthened academic collaboration ties while building diversified platforms for youth mutual learning, promoting in-depth integration of education and culture between both parties. Based on educational exchange, this activity enhanced mutual civilizational trust, injected new momentum into friendly TJU-ENSA cooperation and global governance talent cultivation, and highlighted higher education's contemporary mission to serve building a community with a shared future for mankind.

By: College of Management and Economics

Editor: Sun Xiaofang