Zhang Liqun joins presidents from 38 top-tier global universities at a closed-door discussion.

Zhang Liqun, president of Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was invited to Cape Town, South Africa, to attend the 2026 World Academic Summit and Presidents' Forum from Sept 28 to Oct 1.

Co-hosted by Times Higher Education and the University of Cape Town, with the University of Bristol as a co-organizer, the summit attracted over 500 delegates from around the world, including more than 100 university presidents.

Zhang attended the Presidents' Forum held at the University of Cape Town on Sept 28, joining presidents from 38 top-tier global universities in a closed-door discussion. Against a backdrop of geopolitical shifts and technological revolutions, attendees discussed topics such as the mission of higher education in a new era, cross-border education, cooperation, and the future of universities toward 2036, jointly assessing the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Zhang (middle) attends the World Academic Summit's opening panel discussion as a specially invited guest.

Zhang attended the opening panel discussion of the World Academic Summit as a specially invited guest on Sept 29. Titled "Research without Frontiers," the session was moderated by Miao He, head of global reputation and ranking strategy at the University of Bristol.

Zhang joined Ebrahim Al Hajri, president of Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates, to discuss the growth of cross-border research and stronger connections across Asia, Africa, and emerging innovation hubs.

During the summit, the delegation led by Zhang Liqun met with representatives from the University of British Columbia (Canada), the University of Manchester (United Kingdom), the University of Bristol (UK), the University of Adelaide (Australia), the University of Bath (UK), the University of Cape Town (South Africa), Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), and Khalifa University (UAE).

Building on ongoing collaborations, all parties further deepened exchanges, reached broader consensus, and explored collaborative potential in areas such as joint educational programs, faculty and student exchanges, and joint scientific research.

Zhang (L) visits the Chinese Consulate General in Cape Town during his stay in South Africa.

Zhang also led the delegation to the Chinese Consulate General in Cape Town for a courtesy call. He noted that XJTU aligns with China's strategy to build a leading nation in education, driving the integrated development of education, science, technology, and talent. He added that the university looks forward to deepening practical cooperation with South Africa in areas such as innovation and cultural exchanges.