Tianjin University Delegation Visits Slovakia and Hungary

A delegation from Tianjin University, led by Vice President Zhang Peng, visited Slovakia and Hungary from April 20 to 24. The trip aimed to strengthen educational partnerships and expand cultural exchanges in Central Europe. The delegation, which included heads from the Office of International Cooperation, the School of International Education, the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, and the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, visited the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, the Confucius Institute there, and the University of Szeged. The group also paid a visit to the Embassy of People's Republic of China in the Slovak Republic and attended a ceremony to unveil a statue of Confucius in Banská Bystrica.

On the morning of April 21, Vice President Zhang Peng met with H.E. Cai Ge, the Chinese Ambassador to Slovakia. The delegation thanked the embassy for its longstanding support of the Confucius Institute and cultural exchange initiatives. They presented TJU's latest developments and the Institute's operations, proposing to deepen practical cooperation with Slovak universities on the 10th anniversary of the China-Slovakia bilingual education program. Ambassador Cai commended TJU's contributions and encouraged the university to leverage the Confucius Institute platform to further enhance mutual understanding and bilateral friendship. Discussions also covered visa facilitation, teacher selection, scholarship quotas, and talent recruitment.

Later that day, the delegation met with Prof. Maximilián Strémy, Rector of the Slovak University of Technology, along with three vice-rectors and heads of the architecture, chemical engineering, and international relations departments. Both sides reached broad consensus on student exchanges, faculty visits, and joint research. Following this, Vice President Zhang attended a board meeting for the Confucius Institute in Bratislava, where members approved the 2025 annual report and the 2026 operational plan and budget.

On April 22, the delegation traveled to Banská Bystrica to participate in the 10th-anniversary celebration of the China-Slovakia bilingual education program and the donation ceremony for a statue of Confucius. Ambassador Cai Ge, Mayor Jakub Gjdosik, and Vice Rector Stefan Stanko of the Slovak University of Technology were among the distinguished guests. In his remarks, Vice President Zhang reviewed the decade-long achievements of the program and reaffirmed TJU's commitment to providing quality teaching resources and supporting more Slovak students to study in China. He and Ambassador Cai then jointly unveiled the Confucius statue.

On April 23, the delegation visited the University of Szeged in Hungary. They held in-depth discussions with Prof. Márta Széll, Vice-Rector for Strategy, alongside the Dean of Pharmacy and the Director of International and Public Relations. After introducing TJU's strengths in pharmaceutical and chemical engineering, the two universities formally signed a strategic framework cooperation agreement. The delegation also toured the University's library and laboratory facilities.

In the afternoon, the delegation visited the JINQIAO Chinese School in Hungary. They met with Principal Qiao Wen, discussing the school's achievements and the demand for Chinese language education in Hungary. TJU expressed its willingness to support the school's development and the advancement of international Chinese education in the country.

By: Yu Boyang