Strengthening interregional higher education cooperation with China

Obreal’s Director for Education Policy and Programs, Elizabeth Colucci, has just concluded three days of intensive meetings with Chinese universities and associations in Beijing, an important step towards opening and consolidating partnerships with the Chinese higher education sector, in pursuit of common development goals. The visits have been facilitated by UNESCO-INRULED, a UNESCO institute based at Beijing Normal University with a commitment to rural development. In November of 2025, in Bogota, UNESCO-INRULED was the first Chinese-based institution to attend the Interregional Dialogue on Education and Development, demonstrating a shared commitment to promoting South-South collaboration and the role of universities as motors for local and rural development. From this initial meeting, Obreal has visited Beijing to further define the cooperation agenda with INRULED, and expand cooperation and contacts to other institutions.

An important highlight of the visit has been the first formal, in person meeting between Obreal and the Chinese Association for Higher Education (CAHE), the most important and representative higher education sectoral body in China. Greeted by the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General, CAHE expressed its commitment to work progressively with Obreal in the definition of common priority areas, leading towards a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the organisations. Interest and commitment was expressed towards the Interregional Dialogue process, as a complement to other major global dialogue events and processes that CAHE takes part in. The Chinese perspective in higher education for development was seen as a valuable starting point for collaborative research, practice sharing activities with the different Souths, and possible joint training activities.

Other institutions visited during this trip included Beijing Normal University, which hosts UNESCO-INRULED, Capital Normal University, Tsinghua University and the UNESCO Center for Engineering Education, Peking University and Minzu University, each with expressed interest in further cooperation around issues related to AI and educational access, inclusion in higher education, digitalisation of learning, universities and technological/industrial development, women in STEM/Science, and diversifying cooperation towards Africa and Latin America.

Obreal is infinitely grateful for the partnership with UNESCO-INRULED, which has made these meetings possible, and which has open the door to new perspectives in multi-lateral and interregional cooperation, which Obreal champions.