Sultan Qaboos University welcomed a delegation from the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE) this morning, headed by His Excellency Professor Li Jiajun, Vice President of the Association.

The delegation was received by Professor Salim bin Hamoud Al-Harthi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Community Service, at the University Council Hall, in the presence of several academics.

During the meeting, the delegation introduced the Association’s mission and scope of work. Founded in Beijing in 1983, CAHE is a national, non-profit academic organisation supervised by the Ministry of Education. It brings together universities, research institutes, and educational experts from across China, playing a central role in shaping education policies and promoting academic development.

The Association’s main activities include supporting educational innovation, enhancing the quality of higher education, conducting policy-oriented studies, and organising academic conferences and exhibitions. It also publishes specialist journals dedicated to higher education and serves as a bridge between the Chinese government and higher education institutions.

CAHE focuses on areas such as digital transformation and future education, while maintaining strong international alliances with Arab and African countries. Within the China–Arab alliance, cooperation centres on aerospace, information and communications technology, and investment, fostering innovation and educational partnership. The delegation also highlighted the importance of participation in the Higher Education Expo China, a key platform for global academic collaboration.

From SQU’s side, Professor Al-Harthi presented an overview of the University’s colleges, research centres, and international initiatives, including the Afaaq programme for international students. He emphasised that technology and student skill enhancement, particularly in Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing, are central to future collaboration.

Both sides expressed a shared interest in strengthening cooperation to advance research, innovation, and higher-education development.