On Monday 13 May 2024, the University of Malta entered into agreements with Shanghai University of International Business & Economics (SUIBE), establishing student abroad opportunities for their students and working towards developing joint programmes and fostering additional collaboration between the two educational institutions. 

A delegation of academics and members of main administration from SUIBE were warmly welcomed by UM Rector, Prof. Alfred J. Vella, UM Academic Registrar, Dr Colin Borg, UM’s International Office Director, Ms Stefania Agius Fabri, UM’s Director for Marketing, Communications & Alumni Office, Mr Pierre Cassar, UM’s Deputy Director for Marketing, Communications & Alumni Office, Dr Mario L. Cassar, and Dean of UM’s Faculty for Economics, Management and Accountancy, Prof. Emmanuel Said.

Following a fruitful discussion about the University of Malta’s current offerings to its student population, its visiting student programmes and other areas of mutual interests particularly in the field of business, the delegation, led by SUIBE President, Professor Rongming Wang, made their way to the Council Room where they engaged in conversation with the UM Rector and signed the MoU and Visiting Student Agreement.

“I am pleased to be working together with you for the benefit of our students – through mutual exposure to our countries, cultures, economies and way of doing things, we both have much to gain, and we gladly commit ourselves to more collaborations down the line,” said Prof. Vella.

SUIBE President Prof Wang was glad to note that the two universities share this common philosophy of putting students first. “It is a great honour for us to collaborate with your scholars, and impart knowledge about the serving role of China in the global economy. Internationalisation is one of our strategic priorities, and I am happy to see this materialising right before our eyes.”   

Prof. Said stated that FEMA is the largest English-speaking business-related Faculty not just in Malta, but in the Mediterranean region, making it a knowledge hub. He also said that three areas of mutual interest were identified in the meeting, namely the establishment of joint degrees in international business, student exchanges of Maltese students in the area of Business and vice versa, and the encouragement of research of mutual interest whilst co-supervising doctoral theses on real-world business matters.

Gifts were exchanged between the Chinese delegation and the members of UM, and they wrapped up the session by gathering for lunch.

About SUIBE

Shanghai University of International Business & Economics was founded in 1960 as a Public University. It is crowned as a ‘cradle for professionals in foreign trade in China’, and it is the only university focusing on the education of international business and economics in the Yangtze river delta region. It consists of 14 Faculties and schools, and boasts of 900 teaching staff, and around 14,000 students (at undergraduate, masters, and doctoral level).