On September 5th, Professor Zhang Zhongxiang, SHNU Director of African Studies Center from SHNU School of Humanities and Associate Researcher Mr. Tang Cheng, were invited to attend the opening ceremony of FOCAC on behalf of the Think Tank Scholars.
Themed with “Cooperate in Building a High-level China-African Community with a Shared Future to Promote Modernization”, the summit is one of the largest diplomatic conferences held by China in recent years, with the largest number of foreign leaders attending. About 3,200 people from all walks of life in China and Africa, including the heads of state, government leaders, heads of delegation, and heads of international and regional organizations of the non-party member states of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, attended the opening ceremony.
The African Studies Center of SHNU was established in 1998 and was awarded the title of Regional and Country Research (Cultivation) Base by the China Ministry of Education in 2011. The Center is also an academic unit under the China Africa Joint Research Exchange Program of the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In June 2014, the Center was selected for the China Africa Think Tank 10+10 Partnership Program and became a think tank of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The African Research Center has also distinguished itself in talent cultivation. Since its establishment, the center has trained more than 20 doctoral students and over 60 master's students. More than 90% of doctoral students work in universities, and many have become the backbone of scientific research and teaching in their respective units. Many master's students are studying abroad at domestic and foreign universities. In recent years, one doctoral thesis and two master's theses have been awarded as Excellent Academic Theses of Shanghai Normal University.
