On February 20, a delegation led by H.E. Ms. Signe Brudeset, Norwegian Ambassador to China, visited Tianjin University (TJU). Tianjin University President Jin Donghan met with the delegation. Gong Jinlong, Vice President of TJU, attended the meeting.
President Jin expressed his hope to strengthen communication and exchanges with Nordic countries, especially with Norway in the field of higher education, and further deepen cooperation with Norwegian universities in talent cultivation and scientific research.
H.E. Ambassador Brudeset stressed that Norway attaches great importance to developing cooperation in education and scientific research with China, including promoting student exchanges. Magnus Jorem, Science and Education Counselor of the Norwegian Embassy, introduced the intergovernmental agreement and cooperation mechanism in science and technology between Norway and China, as well as the publication of papers jointly written by the Chinese and Norwegians in fields including environmental science and maritime affairs. Brudeset hoped that the two parties could enhance mutual understanding and make joint efforts to promote more cooperation in the field of science and education.
On this visit, H.E. Ambassador Brudeset visited Feng Jicai Institute of Literature and Art and communicated with Mr. Feng Jicai. Mr. Feng said that China was among the first countries to realize the importance of protecting intangible cultural heritage. "The spirit and emotions of the Chinese people are closely related to intangible cultural heritage. Now in China, governments at all levels invest a large amount of money every year to protect cultural heritage, traditional villages and inheritors. China has also established a sound system for protecting cultural heritage, covering the Law on Intangible Cultural Heritage, protection lists, protection of inheritors, protection of archives and protection of museums." Feng said that universities in China are now paying more attention to cultivating more professional talents for intangible cultural heritage protection, especially management talents, many of whom have opened related bachelor's degree programs and recruited students. "Tianjin University is the first one to offer the interdisciplinary master’s degree program of intangible cultural heritage nationwide. And we admitted the first batch of postgraduate students last year. At the same time, we devote ourselves to strengthening the theoretical construction of intangible cultural heritage." he added.
Before parting, Mr. Feng presented H.E. Ambassador Brudeset with a glass paperweight, embedded with wooden movable types of Ming Dynasty. Feng explained that wooden movable-type printing witnessed the spread of Chinese culture in ancient times, representing his hope that Norway and China will have more cultural exchanges in the future and make more contributions to the protection of the cultural heritage of humanity together."
By Dang Xinuo
Editor: Sun Xiaofang
