Educational and cultural exchanges peak between China and Singapore

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore. As economic and trade cooperation between the two countries deepens, collaborations in education, culture and talent training have continued to flourish.

On Nov 11, Wang Guangyan, vice-minister of education, visited Singapore and held talks with Lim Wan Yong, permanent secretary (education) at the Ministry of Education of Singapore. The two sides signed action plans on university cooperation and educational technology cooperation to deepen talent cultivation as well as advance digital education and vocational education.

Earlier in November, during the inaugural China-Singapore Education Cooperation Forum in Shanghai, the Singapore Service Center for Scholarly Exchange East China Regional Center (Shanghai) was launched.

Based on the "cloud campus" concept, the center will be developed into a cross-border learning platform providing Chinese students with services such as study planning, cultural introduction and career development.

Experts at the forum said that AI-enabled education has become a key direction for global development. Educational exchanges and cooperation between China and Singapore will provide new impetus and opportunities for the use of digital tools and talent cultivation.

Lien Siaou Sze, former deputy vice-chancellor of Nanyang Technological University, said that educational innovation requires technological empowerment, the integration of humanistic spirit, and international perspective. In-depth cooperation between China and Singapore in education will set an example for the opening-up and integration of regional education.

Following Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's visit to China in June, China-Singapore educational cooperation has been deepened. Both sides have agreed to establish a more flexible university credit transfer system to help Chinese students' participation in cross-border programs.

Over the years, Singaporean universities such as National University of Singapore and NTU have become a "stepping stone" for Chinese students applying to European and US universities. Some universities and institutions, including NTU and Singapore Management University planned to launch Chinese-taught degree programs.

Cultural exchanges between China and Singapore are also impressive. Through official events, such as the year of culture and tourism and art exchange season, the two countries have promoted the mutual loan of museum collections and exchanges between art troupes.

The seventh Singapore International Cultural Festival held in Singapore in August included more than 10 activities such as martial art championships, an intangible cultural heritage showcase, international dance contest, traditional Chinese medicine and wellness expo, tea culture showcase, and calligraphy exhibition. Chinese participants — including martial art teams, dance contestants, TCM promotion teams, as well as film and calligraphy works — delivered outstanding performances and won multiple awards.

The book A Walk into Singapore, published by China Economic Publishing House and compiled by students from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, won the cultural exchange contribution award at the festival for its in-depth interpretation of China-Singapore cultural exchanges.

On Oct 31, the exhibition Tranquil Sounds of Forests and Valleys — Journeys through Mountains and Rivers in Ming and Qing Painting was launched in the China Cultural Centre in Singapore. The exhibition features selected landscape paintings from the 15th to 19th centuries collected by the National Museum of China through high-definition reproductions and multimedia technology.

Kong Yuan, director of China Cultural Centre in Singapore, said that this is the first time the National Museum of China has held an exhibition in Singapore. Coinciding with the 35th anniversary of China-Singapore diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the center's establishment, it has extraordinary significance. She said she hoped that this exhibition will serve as an opportunity to promote diversified cooperation between cultural and museum institutions of the two countries.