On April 24th, the World Higher Education Conference (WHEC 2021) National Consultation, themed “Higher Education in China and the World towards 2030”, was successfully held in Zhejiang University. The consultation meeting was jointly hosted by the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and Zhejiang University, and organized by the UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurial Education at Zhejiang University and the recently established UNESCO Research Centre at Zhejiang University, and supported by the UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office, the Higher Education Section at UNESCO Headquarters, the Ministry of Education of China and the Communication University of Zhejiang. Representatives, experts, scholars and postgraduate students from UNESCO, the government, research institutes, and higher education institutions in China attended the conference. The in-person event was also livestreamed online and reached over 5,000 audience participants.

The overall aim of the consultation is to provide the Chinese perspective on the future of higher education sharply focused on key issues of higher education including policy, equity, innovation, governance, partnership, qualification recognition and accreditation, quality assurance and lifelong learning. The outcome of the national consultation will contribute towards the third WHEC 2021, which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 7th – 9th of October, 2021.

The in-person event was also livestreamed online and reached over 5,000 audience participants.

Prof. Kan Yue, Deputy Dean of College of Education, Zhejiang University, moderated the opening session of the conference. The Opening remarks were presented by Prof. Wu Xiaocheng, Vice Secretary of the Zhejiang University CCP Committee; Prof. Xiaozhou Xu, Chair holder of the UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurial Education at Zhejiang University and President of Communication University of Zhejiang; Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office; and Mr. Robert Parua, Education Programme Specialist from UNESCO Beijing Office. Prof. Wu Xiaocheng, on begalf of Zhejiang University, extended warm congratulations on the opening of the conference. He also highly acknowledged the achievements made by UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurial Education, and placed expectations on the newly established UNESCO research center. Prof. Xu Xiaozhou expressed his gratitude to UNESCO, the National Committee of UNESCO and other relevant institutions and departments for their support to the conference.

Professor Khan acknowledged and appreciated the valuable work done by the UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurial Education at Zhejiang University. The Chair had become a successful model within the framework of the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme. He congratulated the recent establishment of the UNESCO Research Centre at Zhejiang University, and reassured that UNESCO will work closely with the Centre to advance its research agenda. He stressed that the China national consultation was organized timely in the backdrop of COVID-19 and aligned with the implementation of SDG4, target 4.3 and the Education 2030 Agenda with an emphasis on access, equity, inclusion, quality and lifelong learning dimensions of higher education. In his speech, he emphasized that education transforms lives and it is at the heart of UNESCO’s global mission to build peace, eradicate poverty and drive sustainable development. Mr. Parua highlighted in his opening remarks that the China national consultation for WHEC2021 would provide valuable inputs to the third World Conference on Higher Education. The Chinese perspective on the future of higher education could contribute to the global discussion. The recommendations of the national consultation are critical to the preparation of the final recommendations of the third WHEC.

The opening ceremony was followed by the unveiling ceremony of the UNESCO Research Center of Zhejiang University. Prof.  Wu Xiaocheng, Prof. Xu Xiaozhou, Mr. Robert Parua, and Prof.  Gu Jianmin, Dean of the School of Education of Zhejiang University, jointly unveiled the new center. The establishment of the center is not only an acknowledgement of Zhejiang University's achievements and progress in the analysis of UNESCO, but also a new opportunity for the construction of a high-level think tank and further strengthening the partnership with this organization.

The China consultation meeting reviewed the status of higher education in China, shared knowledge and experiences in all aspects of higher education and explored ideas and strategies to reshape higher education. Education experts and scholars shared insights focused on three themes of higher education: the equality, quality, responsibility and reform of higher education governance; mobility, sharing, partnership and international cooperation; and innovation, entrepreneurship, applicability and sustainable development. The discussions at the consultation explored effective strategies for the higher education system with specific focus on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the fast-changing global environment, as well as recognizing the increasing role of open and distance learning and online learning platforms.

Prof. Kan Yue had acknowledged the participation of the participants and their contribution and he concluded the meeting with four words in reshaping higher education: context, sharing, responsibility and innovation. Prof. Kan had stressed that the key recommendations will be forwarded to the Secretariat of the WHEC2021. He reiterated that Zhejiang University is deeply committed to strengthening the strategic partnership and collaboration with UNESCO to further advance the development of higher education for a community of shared future for mankind.

By WAN Nian