Time: November 7, 2020

        Place: Xi'an

        Theme: Global Empathy· Mutual Learning Among Civilizations· University Innovation

        On November 7, the opening ceremony of the 9th World Women University Presidents Forum was held at Xi'an University of Science and Technology. Chen Zhili, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) and President of the 10th All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO, Fernando, President of the International Association of University Presidents and CETYSUniversity in Mexico, Li Weihong, former Vice Minister of Chinese Ministry of Education, Xia Jie, Vice President and Secretary of the Secretariat of ACWF, Gülsün, President of the European Women Rectors Association, Zhao Gang, Vice Governor of Shaanxi Province and other leaders and guests attended the opening ceremony. Speeches were delivered to witness the opening of the forum.

Chen Xiaoya, former Vice Minister of Chinese Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology and the advisor of the organizing committee of the World Women University Presidents Forum, Jiang Feng, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress and Deputy Secretary of the Party Group, Wang Haiyan, Director of Gansu Provincial Department of Education, Liu Jianlin, Director of Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education, Wang Chunxiu, Deputy Director of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Department of Education, Zheng Xiaojing, former Party Committee Secretary of Xidian University, and other leaders and guests attended the opening ceremony.

In her speech, Chen Zhili highly appreciated the role played by the World Women University Presidents Forum and its great achievements in the topic of higher education. She said that the forum, as a reflection and crystallization of the perseverance, wisdom and sentiment of women university presidents around the world, has continued to focus on women's growth, development and leadership enhancement, which has not only become a platform for the exchange of academic ideas, but a catalyst for the international and regional cooperation of universities.

Chen Zhili pointed out that the theme of this forum is Global Empathy· Mutual Learning Among Civilizations· University Innovation, which places university innovation on the horizon of mutual appreciation of civilizations with a higher perspective. Combining with the theme, Chen Zhili put forward three points of view, one is to call for global empathy, advocate mutual appreciation of civilizations, and build a community of shared future. Second, universities should take their responsibilities. Universities are located at the top of the education system and are responsible for the concept of global governance, so they should explore and build a global governance knowledge system to make more significant and practical contributions to global governance and mutual appreciation of civilizations. Third, we should be innovative, pursue excellence, and lead women to forge ahead. Education should promote morality and virtue, combine knowledge with practice. For the new century, the responsibility of education in universities is even more important.

Reflecting on her time at UNESCO and her relationship with the ancient city of Xi'an, Bokova emphasized the importance of culture and heritage, and the importance of sharing, understanding, appreciating, and exchanging different cultures throughout human history.

Bokova expressed her belief that this conference will also make the same call to continue contributing to the fight for gender equality, women's empowerment, sustainable development, education and human dignity.

Fernando congratulated the Forum on its 20th anniversary on behalf of the International Association of University Presidents. He said that the pandemic has brought great impact and challenges to higher education, and how to innovate education concept, education model and teaching method under this situation is a common issue that universities in the world need to face and think about. He combined the practice of teaching at CETYS University in Mexico in response to the pandemic and suggested that as university leaders, they need to re-examine their respective missions, including academic and business models and education quality improvement to make adjustments, reorganization and reshaping according to the development needs.

Li Weihong said that she hoped the guests to share their experiences in innovative education forms under the situation of the pandemic, and also in promoting the capacity and level of higher education governance, so as to reach a broad consensus through experience sharing and in-depth exchanges, and to provide a new exclusive concept for the development of higher education.

Xia Jie pointed out that the theme of this forum, focusing on global empathy and cooperation, fits the vision of the common development of mankind. Gülson elaborated on the importance of rebuilding human values, pointing out that gender equality is an inevitable requirement and an important way to guarantee women's rights and a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. She hoped that the Forum will continue to play a role in raising public awareness of gender equality and leadership of female university presidents.

After briefly introducing the achievements of education, science, technology and culture development in Shaanxi Province, Zhao Gang said that women are the pioneers of human civilization and the drivers of social progress, making extraordinary achievements in all walks of life.

Liao Xiangzhong, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Communication University of China, and Liu Weiguo, Secretary of the Party Committee of Xi'an University of Science and Technology, delivered welcome speeches on behalf of the organizers and warmly welcomed the leaders and guests to the forum.

Liao Xiangzhong pointed out that the Forum has become an important platform for sharing the wisdom of women presidents, promoting exchange and cooperation in higher education, and practicing inclusiveness and mutual appreciation of global civilization. It has become an emotional link and spiritual home for women presidents, which has nurtured many valuable ideas for the development of higher education, and also demonstrated the leading role of the female university presidents in the enhancement of women's leadership.

Liu Weiguo said that looking historically, Eastern and Western civilizations have always been learning from each other through mutual exchanges. Higher education upholds the consciousness on community of shared future, pays attention to the potential risks from nature and focuses on the challenges faced in social development, as the source of power to promote the progress of human society.

About 200 university presidents from 64 countries and regions participated in the opening ceremony through online and offline methods, focusing on the theme of  Global Empathy· Mutual Learning Among Civilizations· University Innovation.