The Sino-US University Presidents' Dialogue is held in Nantong, Jiangsu. [Photo/Litchi News]

Over 40 experts and scholars gathered in Nantong on June 10 for the Sino-US University Presidents' Dialogue, focusing on key topics such as international talent development, openness and collaboration in higher education, and inter-university innovation.

In addition, a graduation ceremony was held for students from the 23rd cohort of the Sino-US Cooperation in Higher Education and Professional Development (CHEDP) 1+2+1 Program. Since its launch in 2001, this initiative has expanded to involve more than 200 universities and colleges across over 20 provincial-level regions in China and nearly 30 states in the United States, benefiting more than 7,000 students.

Zhang Jin, the deputy director-general of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges under China's Ministry of Education, noted that the program has evolved from concentrating solely on undergraduate education to include scholar exchanges, training for university faculty and administrators and Sino-US cooperative education projects.

Nantong University joined the program in 2017 and has since partnered with the University of North Alabama to jointly train accounting professionals. This collaboration has produced over 360 graduates.

In recent years, Nantong has actively promoted a wide range of international educational exchanges, including joint teaching programs, overseas study visits, and academic seminars. The city currently has 169 schools that have established sister-school relationships with institutions across Asia, Europe and North America.