On 5 June 2008, a permanent office of the University of Gent and the Province of West Flanders was opened in Beijing. Other Flemish governmental services and organisations such as the Flemish Investment and Trade (FIT) are working on the same premises.  

By strengthening its Chinese connection, the University of Gent aims to keep up-to-date on the developments in education and research in China, especially at the doctorate and post-doctorate level, as well as to follow up on and provide guidance to Gent students in China. Furthermore, the university intends to develop a ChinAlumni network, together with a recruiting centre in China in order to spread the knowledge about the University of Gent in China.

Gent’s initiative to join forces with the Flemish regional office might set an example for other smaller universities how the gain maximum attention in the growing Chinese student market.

For more information, contact Piet De Vroede (Piet.DeVroede@UGent.be)

Press release (in Dutch)