Very successful 5th Edition of the China Partners Academic Forum

The 1^st China Partners Academic Forum (CPAF) was successfully held in September 2021. This one-week forum, consisting of eight seminars, received widespread acclaim from participants and organizers. The 2nd CPAF took place in October 2022, followed by the 3rd edition in November 2023. Last year’s forum was expanded, running from August to November and featuring 11 webinars and seminars, including 5 on-site events. Through these four editions, the East Asia Platform has aimed to foster cooperation in education, research, and innovation between Ghent University and its partner universities in China, establishing a robust platform for scientific exchange and collaboration.

This year’s forum, held from June to November, included 13 webinars and seminars, with 8 conducted on-site. The following 13 Chinese partner universities and research institutes participated in CPAF 2025: Beijing Normal University, City University of Hong Kong, Chengdu University of Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Jinhua University of Vocational Technology, Liaocheng University, Nanchang University, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shandong University, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (Chinese Academy of Sciences), and Zhejiang University.

Alumni from these institutions played a crucial role in organizing the forum by serving as bridges between Ghent University and their respective Chinese partners.

A video message from Prof. Petra De Sutter, Rector of Ghent University, was presented at the start of each webinar. CPAF 2025 attracted over 1,600 professors, researchers, and students. Notably, for the first time, the number of on-site seminars exceeded that of online sessions.

Throughout the forum, numerous fruitful achievements from the academic cooperation between Ghent University and its Chinese partners were highlighted. We are proud to say that this 5th edition of CPAF once again provided excellent opportunities for researchers from both sides to exchange academic insights and served as an ideal platform for Ghent University alumni to reconnect and interact.