On October 24th, Huzhou University hosted a welcome ceremony for the Azerbaijani educators’ delegation of “Chinese Bridge.” The delegation included representatives such as Vugar Mehrabov, Vice President for Administration at Azerbaijan University of Languages, Gulnaz Abdullazada, Vice President for Science and Technology at Baku Academy of Music, and Ilkana Samadova, Assistant to the Head of the Department of Design at Azerbaijan University of Architecture. Li Qingfeng, Vice President of Huzhou univerisity, along with the heads of relevant departments and secondary colleges, attended this ceremony.

　　Li Qingfeng extended a warm welcome to the Azerbaijani delegation and provided an overview of Huzhou University’s recent achievements, including advancements in discipline development, student employment, and international collaboration. He highlighted the university’s commitment to fostering international educational cooperation with Azerbaijan, focusing on three key areas: high-level Chinese language education, diverse student exchanges, and innovative cultural programs. Since establishing the Confucius Institute in partnership with Azerbaijan University of Languages in 2016, 1Huzhou University has set up 10 teaching centers at institutions including the Baku State Academy of Music, the State Academy of Fine Arts, and the Azerbaijan University of Architecture. Over the past eight years, the Confucius Institute has served as a bridge, facilitating a wide range of exchange activities and yielding fruitful results. Li expressed his hope that this visit would deepen bilateral cooperation, strengthen mutual trust, and contribute to the long-term development of educational and cultural ties between China and Azerbaijan.

　　Vugar Mehrabov expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by the staff and students of Huzhou University and praised its achievements. He introduced the practical results of the cooperation between the two universities from aspects such as the general situation of the Azerbaijan University of Languages, the development of the Confucius Institute, the construction of the language center, and China-Azerbaijan cultural exchanges. Meherrabov reaffirmed Azerbaijan University of Languages’ commitment to furthering this partnership and highlighted the potential for enhancing cultural, academic, and personnel exchanges to enrich the China-Azerbaijan strategic partnership.

　　Gulnaz Abdullazada introduced the history of the founding of the Baku Academy of Music, the setting of its departments and faculties, its advantageous subjects and its current development status. She said that this Academy attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with Chinese universities. This visit has built a bridge of friendship for the people of the two countries. She hopes that the two universities will strengthen cooperation, deepen mutual understanding, and strengthen artistic and cultural exchanges. In doing so, they hope to play an important influence in the internationalization of higher education.

　　Ilkana Samadova introduced the overall situation of the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and said that in 2022, the two universities had reached cooperation intentions in aspects such as student exchanges, teacher exchanges, scientific research cooperation, and cooperative education. Education is an important bond for promoting exchanges and cooperation among peoples of various countries. The educational exchanges between the two universities have tightened the bond of China-Azerbaijan friendship and promoted the development of each other's educational undertakings.

　　During the discussion session, representatives from Azerbaijani universities shared their institutional strengths in areas such as discipline construction, course sharing, teacher exchanges, student exchanges, and cultural exchanges, and had discussions with the representatives attending the meeting from Huzhou University. In-depth dialogues with their counterparts from Huzhou University fostered mutual understanding and a commitment to strengthening professional collaboration across various fields.

　　In his concluding remarks, Li Qingfeng underscored the value of the Confucius Institute as a platform for higher education exchanges between China and Azerbaijan. He expressed agreements with the Azerbaijani representatives’ proposals for deepening collaboration, emphasizing the need for enhanced communication, mutual learning, and win-win cooperation in education and culture. The friendship between these two countries has a long history. With the development of international Chinese education and cultural activities with Chinese characteristics and the deepening of educational cooperation, Huzhou University has established contacts with more and more Azerbaijani universities, which not only enhances the understanding of the people in Western Asia, especially in the Transcaucasus region, of the Chinese language and culture, but also strengthens the educational, cultural exchanges and economic and trade exchanges between China and Azerbaijan. Huzhou University is willing to work together with various Azerbaijani universities to jointly meet challenges and create a better future.

　　Following the meeting, the Azerbaijani delegation also visited and inspected the Azerbaijani Cultural Museum, the Shen Xing Couplet Art Museum and the Silk Base at Huzhou University.