Prime Minister John Key and China’s Premiere Li Keqiang were also at the Great Hall of the People at Peking University (PKU) as witnesses to the momentous signing.
The MOU formalises the continuing operation of PKU’s New Zealand Centre with its host and the eight partnering New Zealand universities.
The New Zealand Centre was established between PKU and the University of Auckland in 2007, with Victoria and three other universities joining the collaborative initiative shortly after. The remaining three universities joined more recently.
The New Zealand Centre offers a course in New Zealand studies to PKU students and also facilitates academic exchanges and research collaborations with the partnering New Zealand universities.
Later this year, Victoria Business School’s Professor Stephen Cummings will visit the New Zealand Centre as a Fellow where he will investigate Chinese approaches to creativity and entrepreneurship.
Through the Centre, Victoria and the other partnering New Zealand universities offer an annual three-week summer school programme for PKU students. The summer programme has been so successful Victoria has extended it to other Chinese universities.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International Engagement) Professor Rob Rabel says: “The New Zealand Centre enables Victoria and other New Zealand universities to be closely linked to PKU, which is generally regarded as China’s top university.
“The MOU signing is an important event for us as it complements our own longstanding bilateral agreements with PKU. It also ensures the Centre will continue to offer positive learning experiences and cultural exchange for students and academics both here and at PKU.”