Ambassador of China visits campus, looks into greater academic cooperation

Ambassador of the Republic of China to the State of Palestine Guo Wei visited Birzeit University and met with its president, Abdullatif Abuhijleh, to discuss prospects of expanding academic cooperation, on October 17, 2019.

Abuhijleh informed Wei about Birzeit University’s history, explaining how it evolved over the years, expanding its academic programs and co-curricula projects. He asserted that the university seeks to build ties with partners around the world through the pursuit, dissemination and application of knowledge. Abuhijleh emphasized the university’s interest in expanding its collaboration with Chinese universities, not only in teaching the language but also in the many fields in which they excel, given China’s global presence and increasing economic and cultural importance.

Wei expressed his delight in visiting Birzeit University, a higher education institution well known for its academic distinctiveness and creative students.

Amir Khalil, director of Birzeit University’s Office of Grants and Contracts, told the ambassador about the collaborations the university has established with different Chinese universities and praised the exchange opportunities from which Birzeit University staff and faculty have benefited. He also mentioned that the Department of Languages and Translation has begun to teach the Chinese language, with the support of China’s representative office in Palestine, along with seven other foreign languages.