From December 4 to 12, 2024, Mao Junfa, President of Shenzhen University (SZU) and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led a delegation on a visit to Brazil and Peru. During the trip, the delegation visited leading universities, including the University of São Paulo (Universidade de São Paulo,USP), the State University of Campinas (Universidade Estadual de Campinas,UNICAMP), the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru,PUCP), and the University of San Martín de Porres (Universidad de San Martín de Porres,USMP). These visits resulted in agreements on joint student training, faculty exchange programs, collaborative research, and the commercialization of research outcomes, alongside the signing of several memoranda of understanding.
As the Chairman of the Joint Management Committee of the Shenzhen Audencia Financial Technology Institute (SAFTI), Mao Junfa also met with leaders from France's Audencia Business School and visited its Brazilian partners—Álvares Penteado School of Commerce Foundation (Fundação Escola de Comércio Álvares Penteado, FECAP) andDom Cabral Foundation (Fundação Dom Cabral, FDC). The delegation held a meeting of the Joint Management Committee and signed agreements to enhance collaboration between the SAFTI and the two business schools.
The delegation also explored opportunities for international ICT talent development during visits to Huawei's offices in São Paulo and Lima.
Brazil and Peru are critical strategic partners for China in South America. This visit follows President Xi Jinping's visit to both countries from November 13 to 21, 2024, during which he attended the 31stAPEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and the 19thG20 Summit. Additionally, China's Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng visited Brazil from November 25 to 27, 2024 to further educational collaborations reached between President Xi Jinping and President Lula duringPresidentXi's visit to Brazil. Huai Jinpeng's visit aimed to pave the way for a comprehensive enhancement of the quality and effectiveness of educational exchanges between the two countries. It also sought to strengthen their long-term educational partnership, laying the groundwork for the next "Golden 50 Years" of collaboration. Mao Junfa's visit capitalized on the momentum of these diplomatic efforts, securing important agreements with top universities in Brazil and Peru, which will play a crucial role in enhancing SZU's ongoing internationalization and driving its progress toward becoming a world-class institution under the Double First-Class initiative.
