The first Central Asia-China Higher Education Cooperation Forum kicks off at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University on Oct 14.

Wang Shuguo, president of XJTU, delivers a speech at the forum.

Supported by the education ministries of China and Kazakhstan, the first Central Asia-China Higher Education Cooperation Forum, initiated and jointly hosted by Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, kicked off at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University on Oct 14.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan's president, sent a congratulatory message to the forum. Present at the forum's opening ceremony were the two sides' senior officials, including Malik Otarbayev, advisor to the president of Kazakhstan, Darkhan Ahmed-Zaki, deputy Minister of Education of Kazakhstan, Tuimebayev Zhanseit Kanseituly, rector of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Wang Shuguo, president of XJTU, and Jiang Wei, consul-general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Almaty, who also delivered speeches.

The forum, titled "Integration of Industry and Education of the Fourth Industrial Revolution", invited 20 universities from the two countries to serve as the forum's initiating institutions, while XJTU and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University serve as permanent co-chairing institutions.

The forum is set to follow a rotational chairmanship system, with China and Central Asia taking turns hosting it.

It aims to create a platform for higher education exchange and cooperation, advance the strategy of in-depth integration between education and industry under the Belt and Road Initiative, provide policy recommendations for international cooperation and exchange in the field of higher education, and contribute to the development of the "University Alliance of the Silk Road" as one of its regional alliances.

At the current forum, the "China-Central Asia Higher Education Cooperation Forum Mechanism" was established, and both sides' university presidents jointly signed the "Almaty Consensus."

During the forum, Wang Shuguo expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support of universities in Central Asia participating in this forum. He stated that as the Fourth Industrial Revolution continues to progress, it is only through advancing interdisciplinary and cross-border integration on a broader and deeper scale as well as fostering the integration of universities with society that both parties can better address common challenges and promote collaborative development.

Malik Otaibaev read out the congratulatory message from the president of Kazakhstan. Darkhan Ahmed-Zaki also offered congratulations on the convening of the forum.They both expressed their anticipation for the continued deepening of cooperation between China and Central Asian countries in the field of higher education.

Subsequently, leaders and relevant officials from universities in China and Central Asia were engaged in in-depth discussions on promoting China-Central Asian national cooperation through higher education-industry integration during the forum.