A welcome board stands at the entrance to the China-ASEAN Secondary School Principals' Forum at Xiamen University. [Photo by Lin Yuyang for chinadaily.com.cn]

The China-ASEAN Secondary School Principals' Forum was held on Dec 19 in Siming district, Xiamen. Nearly 60 principals and representatives from 21 top secondary schools in 10 ASEAN countries, together with 19 key secondary schools from 12 provinces and municipalities in China, gathered at Xiamen University to swap ideas and share experiences.

The theme of the forum was "Education and Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, and International Exchanges". 

Keynote speeches revolved around topics such as AI and education, the development and internationalization of higher education in China, and Sino-foreign joint training models. 

Parallel forum topics included artificial intelligence and school teaching reforms, the promotion of educational resource exchanges and sharing through AI, and the connection between secondary and tertiary education. 

Participants shared notions and exchanged experiences based on the specific practices for talent development at their respective schools.

Shi Dalin, vice president of Xiamen University, said that the university has signed intercollegiate cooperation agreements with 34 universities in ASEAN countries. 

Moreover, substantial cooperation has been carried out in various forms such as student and faculty exchanges, collaborative research, and international Chinese language education. 

He added that Xiamen University continues to strengthen its role as a bridge to Southeast Asia, striving to become a strategic hub for educational, scientific, and cultural exchanges along Belt and Road countries.

Currently, there are nearly 400 students from ASEAN countries studying at Xiamen University, making them one of the most active groups of international students at the university.