Xi’an Aeronautical University

Summary

On the afternoon of September 4, the opening ceremony for the 2026 intake of new students of Waikato College of Xi'an Aeronautical University was held in the Lingyun Auditorium at the Yanliang Campus. Xi'an Aeronautical University President Pu Yongping and Vice President Xu Wendan; Waikato Institute of Technology (New Zealand) Vice President Te Wai Collins and Transnational Education Manager Mark Liu attended. Heads of the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation; deans and vice deans for teaching of the School of Aeronautical Manufacturing and Vehicle Engineering, the School of Electrical and Information Engineering, and the School of Science; leaders of Sino-New Zealand cooperative education programs; all faculty and students of Waikato College; and parent representatives participated.

The ceremony was conducted entirely in English and was presided over by Guan Changping, Secretary of the Party Branch directly under the College. In his speech, Pu Yongping welcomed the inaugural cohort and noted that Waikato College is a Sino-foreign cooperative education institution approved by the Ministry of Education, adopts a “4+0” dual-degree training model, and enables students to enjoy high-quality engineering education of the same standard as in New Zealand without going abroad. He raised three hopes: keep the country in mind and strengthen the foundation of faith; study diligently and act earnestly to hone solid skills; and connect China and the world and cultivate a global perspective.

In a congratulatory video, Waikato Institute of Technology President Warwick Pitts said that the cooperation between the two institutions had gone through years of preparation and finally welcomed its first cohort, and he hoped students would cherish the international learning opportunity, earn academic qualifications and degrees, and gain vision, confidence, and friendship. Vice President Te Wai Collins opened the speech with a greeting in Māori, encouraged students to embrace cro

Commentary

New Zealand's annual international education export revenue is about NZ$5 billion, and China has long been the largest source country for students. The opening of the first cohort at Xi'an Aeronautical University's Waikato College marks a shift in China-New Zealand education cooperation from 'student mobility' to 'curriculum and standards export': Waikato Institute of Technology collects cooperation fees through a '4+0' model, reducing reliance on Chinese student visas and travel restrictions. This creates structural pressure on NZ SMEs that rely on local spending by international students (such as accommodation, food and beverage, and retail), but the Waikato region's aviation engineering cluster can benefit: graduates simultaneously possess a Chinese aviation industry background and New Zealand teaching standards, and may in the future become talent that connects the two countries' aviation parts trade and MRO services.

Xi'an Yanliang is an important aviation manufacturing base in China, and local SMEs can leverage the college's network to enter niche segments such as testing, training, or certification in China's aviation supply chain.

Keywords: Waikato College of Xi'an Aeronautical University, 2026 New Student Opening Ceremony, Sino-foreign cooperative education, 4+0 dual degree, Pu Yongping, Te Wai Collins, Waikato Institute of Technology, China-New Zealand educational cooperation, Dual identity, dual accreditation, dual degree, Yanliang Campus

Source: Xi'an Aeronautical University