The coordinator attended the Seminar for Universities from Developing Countries at Nanchang University (China)

“To gain firsthand insight into the Chinese education system.” That was the mission of the Seminar for Universities from Developing Countries, which took place from May 1 to 20 at Nanchang University in China and was attended by Andrés Bancalari, the Associate Academic Coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies. The professor, who is a graduate of the program, noted that the ancient Far Eastern nation “is making an extraordinary effort to position itself globally as a true powerhouse,” which involves developing a university system of excellence.

- What did the seminar consist of?

- The main objective of the seminar was to participate in the celebrations for the 90th anniversary of Nanchang University (NCU), to which representatives from several of the universities with which NCU has exchange agreements were invited (more than 30 institutions from 20 countries).

- Who attended this conference?

- Representatives from universities in developing countries. Many of the participating countries sent rectors, deans, or presidents as delegates, as well as representatives from the international affairs department.

- What were their objectives?

- The main objective was to gain firsthand knowledge of China’s university system, so we attended many presentations on that topic, as well as on the history of NCU and aspects of general Chinese culture (language, economic and political history of the last 30 years).

- What was the most interesting topic discussed?

- Without a doubt, understanding that China is making an extraordinary effort to position itself globally as a true power, and that this positioning involves not only the economy but also the development of a university system of excellence; therefore, all the presentations on the functioning and positioning of the Chinese university system were very interesting.

- What caught your attention the most?

- China is a country in a state of upheaval. In other words, there is a genuine spirit of growth, learning, and continuous improvement. Let’s not forget that this is a country that just 30 years ago was considered one of the poorest in the world and today is the second-largest economic power. That rapid transformation means its people have a genuine ambition to progress.

- What are the university’s unique features?

- NCU is part of Project 211, whose name derives from the number 21, for the current century, and 1 because it brings together the top 100 universities in China, with NCU being the only university in Jiangxi Province (42 million inhabitants) included in the initiative, as it ranks 65th in the national university rankings according to the latest 2010 data.

- What did the seminar offer you from a personal standpoint?

- Understanding that the world’s center of gravity no longer lies solely in the United States and Europe, and that economic transformations are taking place in China that are key to this century.

- Did you find any similarities with Universidad ORT Uruguay?

- It’s hard to answer because the scale is completely different; NCU has nearly 80,000 students, and most of them are Chinese. I think the greatest similarity may lie in the fact that both universities are focused on becoming the best within our capabilities, and that is NCU’s primary objective.

- What nationalities were the academics who participated in the seminar?

- Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Myanmar, the Palestinian Authority, Sierra Leone, Thailand, Uganda, and Vietnam.

- Would you like to add anything else?

- Mainly to highlight that this was an excellent opportunity offered to me by our university, and I hope that in the future it will lead to cooperation with NCU and other universities in China.

Interview published in July 2011