A delegation from Yunnan University (YNU) visited France to negotiate new university partnerships from March 4 to 6.

The delegation was led by Yang Lin, Party secretary of Yunnan University (YNU), and visited Paris Dauphin University, Institut de Préparation à l’Administration et à la Gestion (IPAG) and the Ecole Intuit. Lab, at the invitation of the three universities.

YNU’s delegation also called on the Chinese embassy in Paris and held a discussion with Yang Jin, the minister counselor for education. 

Minister Counselor Yang congratulated YNU on its entry into the National Double First-rate Program and praised YNU’s pragmatic cooperation with IPAG. 

Yang also offered new suggestions to YNU on how it could potentially enhance cooperation with French universities. 

At IPAG, Yang signed a memorandum with Bernard Terrany on a further partnership, committing both sides to hosting student exchanges, recognizing credits awarded by each party, cooperating on research projects, and training graduates for the workplace. 

IPAG is a renowned French university that focuses on developing graduates for the private sector, with a focus on meeting the highest international standards. Since 2016, YNU’s School of Economy has been running a program in partnership with IPAG. 

The program allows students from IPAG to study economics, business and Chinese culture at YNU for a semester. Fifty students, representing the first batch to arrive from IPAG, started the program in early March. 

During the delegation’s visit to Paris Dauphin University, the delegates met with Christophe Elie-Dit-Cosaque, vice-president of the university, who is in charge of international exchanges. 

Both sides agreed upon a preliminary partnership for teacher and student exchanges, collaborative research and the training of graduates.  

Paris Dauphin University is a world-class university which currently ranks 50th place in the global rankings. The university’s economics and management courses are among the best offered anywhere in the world.   

The preliminary cooperation agreement reached between the two sides will further promote the development of YNU’s economics, management and personnel training. 

During their stay at Ecole Intuit. Lab, Laurent Baley, executive president of the university, met with the delegation. During negotiations the two sides agreed to cooperate with each other in various areas.

According to the agreement, 15 YNU students majoring in design will be invited to France for the university’s summer vocation program. A further selection will be arranged from the 15 students, and those who stand out will be eligible to receive training from both universities. 

Ecole Intuit. Lab is a university administered by the country’s Ministry of Culture, which specializes in cultivating professionals in design and visual communication.

From 2009 to 2017, the university ranked among the top three universities in France for universities of its type. The preliminary cooperation between the two universities is expected to greatly promote the development of YNU’s disciplines of art and design, and communication. 

The visit to France marks the first time that YNU has sent a delegation to Europe. The university is eager to partner with more world-class universities as it seeks to bring its offerings up to international standards.

YNU delegates pose for a photograph with staff members at China’s embassy in France. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

YNU Party secretary Yang Lin (R) shakes hands with Bernard Terrany, president of IPAG. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

The YNU delegation poses for a photograph with representatives from Paris Dauphin University. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

YNU delegates with representatives at the Ecole Intuit. Lab. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]