Australia Chamber Delegation Visits Jining University for Cooperation Talks

Summary

A delegation from the Australia International Chamber of Commerce visited Jining University for a symposium, with Zhao Ming, university Party Committee member and vice-president, attending and delivering a speech. Delegation members included Michael Guo, chief executive of the Australia International Chamber of Commerce and executive president of the New Zealand International Exchange Centre, and John Robertson, mayor of Waitomo, New Zealand. Officials from Jining's Foreign Affairs Office, Education Bureau, Commerce Bureau and Council for the Promotion of International Trade, along with representatives from Jining University's School of Economics and Management, School of Foreign Languages and School of International Education, attended the talks.

Zhao welcomed the delegation, outlined the university's history, academic strengths and international exchange achievements, and said the visit builds a bridge to quality resources in Australia and New Zealand. He called for a long-term, mutually beneficial mechanism focused on staff and student exchanges, academic collaboration and industry-education integration. Michael Guo described the chamber's trade and economic cooperation with Jining and future plans, saying he looks forward to expanding cooperation in education, particularly with Jining University in staff and student exchanges, teacher training and student internships, and hoped the visit would accelerate project implementation.

John Robertson expressed his pleasure at visiting Jining University and recalled being received by Comrade Wan Li during a 1992 China-New Zealand diplomatic event. He noted that Jining University, Wan Li's alma mater, has a rich cultural heritage, and said he hopes to promote a partnership between tertiary institutions in Waitomo and Jining University to carry out educational cooperation and exchanges and carry forward China-New Zealand friendship. During the discussion, the two sides held in-depth talks on a paid internship programme in New Zealand and reached multiple cooperation agreements.

At the meeting, the Australia International Chamber of Commerce and Jining University signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

Commentary

Jining University and the Australia International Chamber of Commerce have signed a Memorandum of Understanding focused on education cooperation, including staff and student exchanges and paid internships. The mayor of Waitomo, New Zealand, attended in person, underscoring the vitality of China-New Zealand subnational exchanges. For New Zealand small and medium-sized business owners, such education cooperation projects may bring indirect commercial opportunities: increased flows of international students and interns will drive demand for local services such as accommodation, transport and retail.

Waitomo, a well-known tourism destination (home to the glowworm caves), has a mayor promoting university cooperation that could inject young labour into the local tourism industry. At the same time, educational institutions in China's second- and third-tier cities are actively seeking internationalisation, and New Zealand's small and medium-sized education service providers (such as language training and career consulting) could watch for B2B opportunities arising from such cooperation. However, the cooperation remains at the memorandum stage, and the implementation of specific projects still needs to be observed.

If a partnership between Jining University and tertiary institutions in Waitomo is established, it could open new channels for New Zealand's education exports, but attention must be paid to changes in China's education policy and visa facilitation.

Keywords: Australia International Chamber of Commerce, Jining University, Waitomo, New Zealand, Michael Guo, John Robertson, Memorandum of Understanding, paid internship, China-New Zealand friendship, education cooperation, staff and student exchanges

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

澳大利亚国际商会代表团访济座谈会于济宁学院召开，校党委委员、副校长赵明出席并致辞。代表团成员包括澳大利亚国际商会首席执行官、新西兰国际交流中心执行总裁麦克·果（Michael Guo），新西兰怀托摩市市长约翰·罗伯逊（John Robertson），济宁市外办、教育局、商务局、贸促会相关负责人及济宁学院经济管理学院、外国语学院、国际教育学院相关同志参加座谈。赵明对代表团到访表示欢迎，介绍了学校历史沿革、办学特色与国际交流合作成效，指出此次来访为学校搭建起对接澳大利亚、新西兰优质资源的桥梁，希望双方聚焦师生互访、学术交流、产教融合等重点领域，构建长期稳定、双向共赢的交流机制。

麦克·果介绍了商会与济宁市经贸合作现状及后续合作规划，表示期待与济宁市拓展教育领域合作，特别是深化与济宁学院在师生互访、教师培训、学生实习等方面的交流，希望以本次访问为契机加快推动相关项目落地实施。约翰·罗伯逊表达到访济宁学院的喜悦之情，回顾1992年中新外事活动中受到万里同志亲切接见的经历，表示济宁学院作为万里同志曾经求学的母校积淀着深厚文化底蕴，希望未来推动怀托摩市高校与济宁学院缔结伙伴关系，开展教育合作交流，传承中新友好情谊。座谈交流环节，双方围绕赴新西兰带薪实习项目深入研讨，达成多项合作共识。

会上，澳大利亚国际商会与济宁学院共同签署《合作备忘录》。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

济宁学院与澳大利亚国际商会签署合作备忘录，聚焦师生互访、带薪实习等教育合作。新西兰怀托摩市市长亲自到访，凸显中新地方交流的活跃度。对于新西兰中小企业主而言，此类教育合作项目可能带来间接商机：国际学生和实习生流动增加，将带动住宿、交通、零售等本地服务需求。

怀托摩作为知名旅游目的地（萤火虫洞所在地），其市长推动高校合作，或为当地旅游业注入年轻劳动力。同时，中国二三线城市的教育机构正积极寻求国际化，新西兰中小型教育服务提供商（如语言培训、职业咨询）可关注此类合作带来的B2B机会。不过，合作尚处备忘录阶段，具体项目落地仍需观察。

济宁学院与怀托摩市高校的伙伴关系若建立，可能为新西兰教育出口开辟新渠道，但需注意中国教育政策变化及签证便利性。

关键词: 澳大利亚国际商会, 济宁学院, 新西兰怀托摩市, 麦克·果, 约翰·罗伯逊, 合作备忘录, 带薪实习, 中新友好, 教育合作, 师生互访

Source: Jining University