Prime Highlights
- Wang Yong said the alliance aims to strengthen dialogue between Chinese and Greek civilizations while enhancing Eastern and Western mutual understanding.
- Kakalidi said cooperation and dialogue among peoples make civilizational exchange forums especially significant today.
Key Facts
- The Center for Chinese and Greek Civilizations co-hosted the forum alongside UNESCO to promote academic and cultural exchange.
- The Chongqing Initiative proposes a China-Greece University Alliance to institutionalize long-term higher education cooperation.
Background
University leaders, scholars and education professionals from China, Greece and several other countries gathered in Chongqing, Southwest China, to discuss the future of higher education in the age of artificial intelligence. The three-day forum concluded with the release of an eight-point framework called the Chongqing Initiative.
The Third Global Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations brought participants together under the theme of education and civilizational exchange. UNESCO and the Center for Chinese and Greek Civilizations jointly hosted the event, drawing academics and students to explore cooperation pathways between the two nations.
At the heart of the forum was a push to balance technological advancement with human values. Participants agreed that as AI develops rapidly, education must place greater weight on the humanities and value-based learning rather than technical skills alone.
The Chongqing Initiative calls for a China-Greece University Alliance to build an open and collaborative platform for resource sharing and long-term academic cooperation. Wang Yong, Chinese Secretary-General of the Center, said the alliance aims to encourage mutual learning between institutions in both countries and support the high-quality development of universities on both sides.
The initiative also urges universities to establish permanent systems that extend beyond their current temporary project-based partnerships. The proposal includes two parts, which involve expanding joint academic programs, increasing faculty and student mobility and creating unified methods to develop curriculum and international educational programs.
Ioanna Kakalidi, head of the Public Diplomacy Office of the Greek Embassy, said initiatives like this forum carry particular significance at a time when cooperation and dialogue among peoples have become increasingly essential.
Beyond the bilateral relationship, the framework also calls for broader multilateral cooperation among universities representing other ancient civilizations worldwide.
