DUT students joined international partners in China to mark Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University’s 90th anniversary and explore future cooperation in agricultural technology, skills development and research.

Image: Karen Singh

A Durban University of Technology (DUT) delegation joined international academics in China as Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) marked its 90th anniversary with a conference focused on agricultural research, skills development and international cooperation.

The conference on high-quality development was held in Fuzhou on October 20, bringing together university leaders, academics, researchers, students and representatives of international partner institutions to reflect on the university's achievements and future priorities.

The 14-member South African delegation, which included 10 DUT students studying Mandarin, attended the conference as part of the 2026 Chinese Bridge Winter Camp.

Led by DUT Confucius Institute(CI) director Frank Lin Wu, the delegation participated in a programme organised through the DUT CI and FAFU.

Wu said the delegation's participation reflected more than a decade of cooperation between the two universities.

He described the students' involvement in the anniversary conference and cultural performances as "not merely a ceremonial or protocol appearance".

South African culture takes centre stage as DUT students perform alongside Chinese students at FAFU’s anniversary celebrations. Image: Supplied

Wu said the partnership had developed beyond language teaching and cultural exchanges to include vocational training, agricultural technology, research and entrepreneurship.

The Confucius Institute was established through an agreement between DUT and FAFU in 2013 and formally began operating in 2014.

Over the years, its programmes have expanded to combine Mandarin language education with practical skills, including agricultural technology, e-commerce, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.

Wu said the anniversary celebrations provided an opportunity to strengthen the universities' relationship and demonstrate how their cooperation could contribute to South African youth development.

"South African students can gain employable skills through joint training and 'Chinese + skills' programmes," he said.

He explained that the institute had recommended students for Chinese Government Scholarships and university scholarships to pursue undergraduate and master's degrees at FAFU and other Chinese institutions.

The FAFU campus in Fuzhou, China, where DUT students joined international partners to mark the university’s 90th anniversary and explore opportunities in agricultural research, skills development and technology. Image: Karen Singh

A joint PhD training model involving academic supervision from both universities had also been introduced.

Wu said the partnership was increasingly focused on combining Mandarin language education with skills that could improve students' employment and business opportunities.

In KwaZulu-Natal, this included training in Juncao technology, which uses specially cultivated grasses for mushroom production, livestock feed and environmental protection.

DUT students who participated in mushroom production training during 2026 had expressed interest in using the skills to establish businesses, he said.

At the anniversary conference, FAFU president Xie Suyuan presented a report outlining the university's contribution to agricultural education, scientific innovation and rural development over the past nine decades.

The institution traces its origins to agricultural education programmes established in 1936, while the present university was formed through the merger of Fujian Agricultural University and Fujian Forestry College in 2000.

According to the university's anniversary report, it has trained approximately 350,000 people and developed 20 nationally leading technologies in specialised agricultural and forestry fields.

These include advances in mushroom cultivation, ratoon rice and forestry, with research aimed at improving agricultural productivity, addressing food security and supporting rural communities.

Fujian vice-governor Jiang Erxiong highlighted the university's contribution to training agricultural specialists and advancing scientific research.

DUT students learn about mushroom production at the International College of Juncao Science and the National Engineering Research Centre of Juncao Technology during the 2026 Chinese Bridge Winter Camp. Image: Karen Singh

She called for greater efforts to develop highly skilled professionals, improve agricultural and forestry education and strengthen research that could address practical challenges facing farmers.

International academic cooperation was another focus of the conference.

Among the speakers was Heather Bruce, representing Canada's Dalhousie University, who reflected on more than two decades of cooperation between the Canadian institution and FAFU.

The relationship has included joint academic programmes, research partnerships and student exchanges.

Bruce said these initiatives had "deepened the mutual understanding and friendship between faculty and students of our two universities".

For the DUT delegation, the programme also provided an opportunity to learn about agricultural research with existing applications in KwaZulu-Natal.

The students visited FAFU's National Engineering Research Centre of Juncao Technology, where they met Professor Lin Zhanxi, the scientist who developed the technology.

DUT students meet Professor Lin Zhanxi, the scientist who developed Juncao technology, during the 2026 Chinese Bridge Winter Camp in China. Image: Karen Singh

Juncao technology has been introduced in KwaZulu-Natal through cooperation involving Chinese researchers and the provincial agriculture department.

In 2005, Lin and his team began working with the department on projects involving mushroom cultivation and dryland rice production.

The collaboration followed an earlier visit to the Juncao research institute by the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini, in 2003.

Wu said the Confucius Institute launched a China–South Africa Juncao Demonstration Centre project in 2023, aimed at linking agricultural skills training with community development and poverty reduction.

He said the two universities could build on their existing cooperation through further research into livestock feed, mushroom processing and environmental rehabilitation.

The Confucius Institute has also proposed establishing a China–Africa joint laboratory focusing on areas such as agricultural engineering, food science and forestry.

Wu said the proposed laboratory could create opportunities for research collaboration, postgraduate training and the development of practical solutions to challenges facing KwaZulu-Natal's agricultural sector.

Other potential areas of cooperation include vocational education, green development and entrepreneurship.

At the winter camp's opening ceremony on October 18, Wu encouraged the visiting students to consider how their experiences in China could contribute to their studies and future careers.

"Think about what you are learning here, not only the language," he told them.

He urged students to pay attention to the people they encountered, how they worked and what knowledge or skills they could take back to South Africa.

Wu said the next stage of the DUT–FAFU partnership had the potential to strengthen higher education cooperation while supporting skills development, research and economic opportunities in KwaZulu-Natal.

karen.singh@nationalmg.co.za

来源：The Star https://iol.co.za/the-star/news/2026-11-10-dut-and-chinese-university-explore-expanded-partnership-in-skills-and-agricultural-technology/