BEIJING, Oct 02 (DNA): The growing number of Pakistani youth studying at
Donghua University, Shanghai will contribute to the construction of
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Belt and Road Initiative and
in the future “it will also provide more professionals to Pakistan,”
said Dean of International Cultural Exchange School at Donghua
University, Prof. Yao Weixin.

On May 21 1951, China and Pakistan established diplomatic relations.
Over the past 70 years, cultural and economic exchange helped both
countries set a glorious course, side by side. It just so happens that
this year, Donghua University also celebrates its 70th anniversary. And
throughout the decades, DHU has welcomed many students from the “Iron
Brother”.

DHU is a world-class and high-level research university, with focus on
textiles, materials and costume designing. It has absorbed a large
number of Pakistani students and trained them into professional talents.

“In 1975, we recruited the first batch of Pakistani students. In nearly
half a century, the number of high-level Pakistani talents at Donghua
University has increased rapidly, mainly science and engineering
graduate students.

At present, we have a total of 74 Pakistani students, of which only
three are undergraduates, and the others are master and doctoral
students”, noted Prof. Yao Weixin, the Dean of International Cultural
Exchange School at the Donghua University, in an exclusive interview
with China Economic Net.

“Here I realized rapid personal growth. I have learned the professional
knowledge of textile chemistry and became a start up founder from an
ordinary student”, mentioned Faizan Shafiq, a doctoral student. “My
teachers and classmates have helped me a lot, none of them showed
impatience. The idea of starting up my own business was also supported
firmly by my tutor. Moreover, he found a textile foundry for me. As a
matter of fact, not only me, but all Pakistani students regard DHU as
our second home.”

 From 2011, Donghua University has taken a new step in its teaching plan
for cultivating Pakistani students. DHU organized faculties of textiles,
materials, chemistry, information and other disciplines to offer nine
professional courses such as textile engineering taught in English,
which have greatly met the learning needs of Pakistani students.

“We give them warm care in daily life, but in academic sector, they must
abide by the same standards as Chinese students in examinations, thesis
defenses, and paper publishing, urging them to study assiduously in
order to truly become talents and contribute to China-Pakistan
cooperation,” Prof. Yao said.

In addition, social practice is also the top priority for the training
of Pakistani students at Donghua University. So far, through practical
projects, Pakistani students have visited various types of textile
companies in the Yangtze River Delta region. Many Chinese enterprises,
including Shanghai Textile and Zhejiang Antai, have set up practice
bases for them.

Over the years, Donghua University has made unremitting efforts for
technical cooperation and talent training in the textile industry in the
construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2017, it was approved
to be the host institution of the National Silk Road Scholarship. In
September of the same year, DHU welcomed the first batch of 30 students
who obtained the scholarship, 14 of whom were Pakistani students. Up to
now, 62 Pakistani students have won this scholarship.

On December 8, 2018, a total of 33 textile-related universities from 19
countries formally established the World Textile University Alliance.
The Alliance aims to strengthen higher education, textile industry and
fashion design and technology-related exchanges and mutual learning
among all countries and particularly along the Belt and Road.

Donghua University has joined hands with the National Textile University
of Pakistan to become a founding member of the WTUA, according to Prof.
Yao.

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