In September 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) approved the "Collaborative Innovation Center for African Studies and China-Africa Cooperation", based at the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University (IASZNU) as a collaborative innovation center jointly established by the Ministry of Education of P.R.C and Zhejiang provincial government.It is one of the few national collaborative innovation institutions in the field of Humanities and Social Sciences in China,as well as the first in the field of African studies.According to the development scheme of the Center, IASZNU held the launching ceremony and the first working meeting of the Center on April 16, 2021 in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province.  

The event has been widely supported by China-Africa research institutions, higher educational institutions,relevant authorities, media, enterprises and etc. More than 100 representatives from government, institutions and relevant relevant cooperative units attended the launching ceremony.

The launching ceremony successfully held at Zhejiang Normal University

    After the opening ceremony, the first meeting of the Center was held, attended by the representatives of the council members of the Center, as well as the members of academic committee of the Center. The constitution of the Center was discussed and approved at the meeting.

Group photo of some members of the Center’s academic committee   

Group photo of the representatives of the Center’s council members

    A round table meeting was then held to discuss the development scheme and the discipline construction of African Studies.In the future, the Center looks forward to working together with domestic and intentional research institutions/experts to seek common development and make greater efforts for China-Africa cooperation in the new era.

Round table discussion meeting