Xiangtan University Delegation Visits UWC and Deepens Law Cooperation

On 4 December 2025, Professor Liao Yong’an, President of Xiangtan University and Dean of  China-Africa Research Institute, led a delegation to visit the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa. The delegation was warmly received by Prof. Robert Balfour, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of UWC; Dr. Nita Lawton-Misra, Registrar; and Prof. Jacques De Ville, Dean of the Faculty of Law. Both sides held friendly and constructive discussions.

This visit followed the July trip of Dr. Nita Lawton-Misra and the UWC Faculty of Law delegation to Hunan for the  China-Africa Rule of Law Forum. It aimed to formally establish the cooperation framework between the two universities’ law faculties and explore new opportunities for strengthening inter-university collaboration, particularly in the field of China–Africa comparative studies.

During the meeting, President Liao Yong’an introduced the development of Xiangtan University and the Institute for African Studies, highlighting the achievements of the School of Law in talent cultivation, discipline building, and international cooperation. Prof. Robert Balfour extended a warm welcome to the delegation and presented an overview of UWC’s academic structure and strengths, especially in law and education. Prof. Jacques De Ville provided additional information on the development philosophy, academic focus, and international partnerships of the Faculty of Law.

The visit identified four key objectives:

1. A reciprocal visit following Dr. Nita Lawton-Misra and the Law Faculty delegation's visit to Hunan in July for the China-Africa Rule of Law Forum;

2. Formalizing the finalized cooperation agreement between the two law schools through signing by the respective Vice-Chancellors;

3.  Exploring opportunities for elevated university-wide collaboration centered on China-Africa comparative studies; including a conference on law that will be hosted by UWC.

4. Concrete cooperation in areas of faculty and student exchange, as well as short-term academic initiatives.

In a cordial and pragmatic atmosphere, the two universities formally signed the cooperation agreement. Both sides affirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in joint postgraduate training, reciprocal visits of young faculty members, and continued academic cooperation in the field of law.

Following the meeting, the Xiangtan University delegation visited the Confucius Institute for Chinese Medicine of the UWC, where they learned about its achievements in Chinese language teaching and the promotion of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The two sides also discussed future cooperation in cultural and educational initiatives.

This visit has further advanced cooperation between Xiangtan University and the University of the Western Cape in talent development, discipline construction, and cultural exchange, injecting new momentum into the future expansion of high-level, in-depth collaboration between the two institutions.