On December 6, 2017, a delegation of 6 presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) visit Chongqing University. The delegation members include Dr. David Wilson, president of the Morgan State University, Dr. Kevin D. Rome, Sr., president of Fisk University, Dr. Lester A. McCorn, acting president of Clinton College, Dr. Karl S. Wright, academic dean of Claflin University, Ms. Luan Yutao, senior director of Hong Kong China-United States Exchange Foundation, Ms. Julia Wilson, the CEO and founder of Wilson Global Communication, and Mr. Zhou Zhigang, director of Chongqing Office of Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Academician Zhou Xuhong, president of Chongqing University, and his companions meet with the delegation. Others present at the meeting include Xu Jun, director of the Office of International Cooperation and Communication, Li Jing, vice dean of the School of International Education (in charge of related work), and other related persons.

Scene of the Meeting

At the meeting, Zhou Xuhong extends his sincere welcome to the delegation, and gives an introduction respectively to the overview, development history, disciplinary construction and international cooperation of the University. He points out that the Historically Black Colleges and Universities are a key constituent of higher education system of the USA , and have made significant contributions to development of the education business of the USA . As one of the first receivers of the “Special Students’ Scholarship for China-USA People-to-people Exchanges” of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Chongqing University have established cooperation relationship with several Historically Black Colleges and Universities, such as Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Harris-Stowe State University, and Morgan State University. In 2016 and 2017, a total of 25 students from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities have come to Chongqing University to study Chinese and know more about contemporary China under the “Special Students’ Scholarship for China-USA People-to-people Exchanges” Program. Zhou states that the University will actively implement the “high-level consultation results with respect to China-USA people-to-people exchanges”, in an effort to encourage more students of HBCH to visit China and foster amiable exchange and cooperation between China and the USA .

The foreign delegation members extend their gratitude for the warm reception, and give an introduction respectively to their colleges and universities. The members approve of what Zhou has said and add that the Historically Black Colleges and Universities have indeed cultivated countless outstanding talents for the USA . More than 1/4 of the African students in the USA obtain their bachelor’s degree at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities. All African doctoral candidates studying in top 10 universities of the USA have obtained their bachelor’s degree at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities. They points out that Chongqing is a nice city, and Chongqing University is an excellent university and express their hope that more students from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities would be able to study and exchange at Chongqing University, and that the collaboration scope with Chongqing University would get expanded and diversified in the future. Preferred modes include student and teacher exchange, student exchange and joint scientific research.

Afterwards, the two parties exchange gifts and take group photos.

Group photo

After the meeting, the delegation members, led by the officials of the Office of International Cooperation and Communication, visit Campus A of CQU and the History Museum.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), at the beginning of their founding, generally recruited only black students. HBCU Program is a platform for African students in the USA to visit and study in China , and is a sub-program under the people-to-people exchange mechanism between China and the USA , and it aims to foster amiable communication and exchange between the two countries. On June 23, 2015, at the China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, the two parties determined to encourage 50 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 50 colleges and universities in China to establish the “China-US 100-College and University Partnership” and actively implement the “high-level consultation results with respect to China-USA people-to-people exchanges”, so as to enhance exchange between the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and colleges and universities of China. HBCUs have signed the MOU with the representatives of colleges and universities in China at the meeting, and have established the “special scholarship for China-US people-to-people exchange” to encourage teachers and students of HBCUs to visit or study in China .

Between 1636 and 1865, no university in the USA accepted black students, and that was when the Historically Black Colleges and Universities started to emerge. At present, there are a total of 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the USA , and they are regarded as a critical constituent of higher education system of the USA , with focus laid on cultivation of African students in the USA . The Historically Black Colleges and Universities have cultivated a number of outstanding talents. More than 1/4 of the African students in the USA obtain their bachelor’s degree at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In November 2013, Vice-Prime Minister Liu Yandong proposed to offer Chinese government scholarship to 1,000 students in HBCUs, as the foundation for building cooperation relationship with HBCUs and fostering communication and exchange between those colleges and universities and China’s colleges and universities.

Chongqing University is one of the first receivers of the “Special Students’ Scholarship for China-USA People-to-people Exchanges” of Historically Black Colleges and Universities selected by the Ministry of Education.

In the middle of June 2016, 13 HBCU students from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Harris-Stowe State University, and Morgan State University and other universities in five states visited CQU to study Chinese and know more about contemporary China. The School of International Education uses teaching methods such as classroom teaching, workshop, special lectures and field visit and elaborately prepared courses to provide Chinese language and culture training for the first HBCU students, with diversified content and various forms.

In 2016 and 2017, 25 students visited Chongqing University to study Chinese and know more about contemporary China under the “Special Students’ Scholarship for China-USA People-to-people Exchanges” Program. Specifically, 8 students are from Morgan State University, 2 recruited in 2016 and 6 recruited in 2017.