From February 23 to March 3, Du Peng, Vice President of Renmin University of China (RUC), led a delegation to Argentina and Brazil to attend the 2023 Annual Conference of the Social Sciences Universities Network (SSUN). The delegation visited the University of Buenos Aires, the University of St. Andrews and the University of Sao Paulo. Also, the delegation paid a visit to the Chinese Embassy in Argentina and the Chinese Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
Du Peng delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the annual conference, reviewing the achievements of the SSUN and sharing the innovative practices of RUC in recent years. He said that in 2023, the SSUN stands at a new starting point and that RUC is willing to work with other partners to break down barriers, promote interdisciplinary research and make contribution to solving global challenges and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
On February 28, the delegation, together with representatives of universities from Italy, Russia, Brazil and South Africa, discussed the 2023-2024 work plan and direction of the SSUN and agreed to strengthen cooperation in teaching and research under the framework of the Network.
The SSUN is the world’s first university network with humanities and social sciences as its main field of cooperation. It was jointly launched by Renmin University of China and Luiss University in November 2019. This year’s Annual Conference was organized by Brazil’s FGV University with the theme “Social Science and Data Science”.
The delegation visited the University of Buenos Aires and the University of St. Andrews in Argentina on February 24. Du Peng expressed the willingness to strengthen talent cultivation, joint research and personnel exchanges with the two universities under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Patricio Conejero Ortíz, Vice President of Foreign Affairs of the University of Buenos Aires, introduced the UBA-China project, and expressed great willingness to further deepen the academic exchanges between the two universities. Martin Rossi, Vice President of the University of St. Andrews, also said that he is looking forward to expanding cooperation with Renmin University of China in exchanging visiting professors, offering lectures and conducting joint research.
On March 1, the delegation visited the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil and met with Sergio Persival Baroncini Proenca, Provost of Foreign Affairs of the university. Proenza expressed the hope to carry out practical cooperation with Renmin University of China in student exchange, summer school, short-term course and the construction of Confucius Institute.
During the visit, the delegation exchanged information and expectation with the Chinese Embassy in Argentina, the Chinese Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro and the Chinese Consulate General in Sao Paulo, stressing the importance of conversation and cooperation in the field of higher education.
The representatives of the embassy and consulates all expressed their support for future cooperation between Renmin University of China and universities in Argentina and Brazil.