Zheng Chengjun, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Beijing International Studies University (BISU) Committee and vice-president of the university, led a delegation to Morocco on Sept 24 to 28 to attend the opening ceremony of BISU College (Morocco) at the invitation of Mohammed V University in Rabat and Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University.

He also attended the meeting of the board of directors of the Confucius Institute at Mohammed V University in Rabat.

Agreements were signed between BISU and the university in Rabat, as well as between BISU and Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University.

Zheng Chengjun (2nd from R) attends the opening ceremony of the BISU College.

Zheng made a speech at the opening ceremony of the new college, mentioning the history of the cooperation between BISU and Mohammed V University in Rabat.

He also said that it is an innovative attempt for the two universities to jointly build the BISU College, which combines BISU's distinctive advantages in tourism disciplines and international Chinese education and Morocco's characteristic economic development.

Li Changlin, Chinese ambassador to Morocco, said in his speech that tourism is an important way for the people of China and Morocco to enhance mutual understanding, as well as an important driving force for economic growth.

He mentioned that Morocco, with abundant historical sites, natural heritage and other tourism resources, is extremely appealing to Chinese tourists, which is expected to become an important foreign destination for Chinese tourists.  

He also praised the establishment of BISU College as a timely endeavor, and expressed his hope that the new college will bring new momentum to China-Morocco cooperation in education, tourism and other fields.

Farid El Bacha, president of the Mohammad V University in Rabat, expressed his gratitude for the efforts made in building the BISU College and the Confucius Institute at Mohammad V University in Rabat. 

He said that China and Morocco both attach great importance to cooperation in higher education, and he expressed the hope that BISU College will further draw the two peoples together and contribute to the consolidation of the strategic partnership between China and Morocco. 

Farid El Bacha delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the new college.

At the opening ceremony, Zheng and Bacha signed the Chinese Language + Tourism Joint Training Project Implementation Agreement. It marks the establishment of BISU's first overseas joint school, and the first time "Chinese Language + Tourism" has been included in the national education system of another country.

The two sides sign the Chinese Language + Tourism Joint Training Project Implementation Agreement.

Media outlets in Morocco, including Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) and the Société Nationale de Radiodiffusion et de Télévision(SNRT), reported on the event, during which Zheng was interviewed.

He also attended the meeting of the board of directors of the Confucius Institute at Mohammed V University in Rabat on Sept 25.

The Chinese and Moroccan directors of the Confucius Institute reported on the institute’s work and the implementation of the budget.

Zheng visited Fez Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University on Sept 26 and had talks with its president, Mustapha Ijjaali. The university is one of the teaching sites of BISU's Confucius Institute in Morocco.

During their talks, Zheng introduced BISU, focusing in particularly on the cooperation between BISU and African universities. He said that the two universities, after signing the framework agreement for cooperation, could cooperate in the fields of teacher and student exchange, cooperative scientific research and jointly holding international conferences.

He also said he hoped that the two sides can jointly carry out Chinese Language + Tourism training to promote China-Morocco cultural and tourism exchanges. 

Ijjaali welcomed Zheng and his delegation, and briefed them on the general situation of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, one of the top universities in Morocco.

He underscored that the Chinese language training at the university has achieved significant results, thanks to the support of the Confucius Institute at Mohammed V University in Rabat.

He said that he expected the cooperation framework agreement to open up more fields of substantial cooperation between the two universities.

After the talks, the two sides officially signed the cooperation framework agreement, making Fez Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University BISU's second partner university in Morocco.

Accompanied by the Moroccan side, the delegation also toured the university's science and innovation center and medical college.

Zheng also visited the teachers and volunteers working at BISU's Confucius Institute in Morocco at the two universities, and he discussed with them the development of the Confucius Institute in the new semester.

He encouraged the teachers to cherish the opportunity to go abroad and to contribute to the international Chinese education cause in Morocco, and he urged them to take care of themselves, too.