On the morning of September 19, the opening ceremony for the 2024 master’s programs in International Economic and Trade Relations, Hospital Management, and Educational Leadership and Management, jointly hosted by our university and Flinders University in Australia, took place at the Tian Jiabing Concert Hall at Nankai University.

The ceremony was attended by Dennis Christine, representative of the Hospital Management faculty from Flinders University; Peter Lennox, representative of the International Economic and Trade Relations faculty; Sylvia Habel, representative of the Educational Leadership and Management program; Dr. Liu Binglian, Dean of the Institute of Economic and Social Development at Nankai University; Chen Lingyi, Executive Vice Dean of the Graduate School; the head of the project office at the Institute of Economic and Social Development; and 570 new students from the three programs. The event was hosted by Bai Xuejie, Vice Dean of the Institute of Economic and Social Development.

Following the commencement of the ceremony, Dean Liu Binglian introduced the fundamental aspects of the collaborative education program between the two universities and highlighted the achievements made over the past 24 years of partnership. As a founder of this collaboration, he encouraged the new students to cherish the valuable learning opportunities presented to them and to make the most of the next two years by continuously enhancing and refining themselves through knowledge and personal growth.

Dennis Christine welcomed the Class of 2024 on behalf of Flinders University. She emphasized that the collaborative education program has always prioritized student-centered learning since its inception. Looking ahead, she stated that both universities will continue to engage in more effective cooperation in their respective fields, with the enduring goal of helping students realize their self-worth.

Chen Lingyi, representing the Graduate School of Nankai University, welcomed the new master's students in the collaborative program. He praised the significant achievements of both universities in areas such as cooperative education, research collaboration, and joint graduate training. He expressed optimism for future partnerships that will yield even more impactful outcomes in international education.

Student representative Ma Jianguo, a member of the 35th cohort of the master’s program in International Economic and Trade Relations, spoke on behalf of the new students. He urged all newcomers to cherish the valuable learning opportunities, manage the balance between study and work, and foster a positive academic atmosphere. He encouraged everyone to engage in continuous exploration, research, and communication during their studies, absorb advanced management concepts, enhance their overall capabilities, and strive to complete their academic pursuits successfully.

After the ceremony, Wang Hao, Vice Dean of the School of History at Nankai University, delivered the inaugural lecture for all new students: "A Brief Discussion on the History of Nankai: The 'Great' and 'Small' of Nankai." Through engaging characters and stories, Professor Wang vividly and clearly presented the establishment and centenary development of Nankai University to the new students.

Following the lecture, the current cohort commenced their studies in the first course, organized by class.

Our university began collaborating with Flinders University to offer master’s degree programs in International Economic and Trade Relations, Hospital Management, and Educational Leadership and Management since 2000, 2003, and 2012, respectively. To date, we have successfully conducted 35, 32, and 15 cohorts, respectively, training nearly ten thousand outstanding students. This collaborative program has consistently received high praise in evaluations from the educational authorities of both China and Australia.