On the afternoon of May 20, 2025, the School of Foreign Languages at Northwest University successfully held two academic lectures as part of the “Famous Scholars Lecture Series of the School of Foreign Languages” (Lectures 52 and 53). The themes of the lectures were “The Paradigm Shift of Universities from Teaching to Influence—The Case of the Maseno University” and “The Role of Emerging Universities in the Knowledge Economy—The Case of Tom Mboya University.” The event was hosted by the School of Foreign Languages and attracted active participation from faculty and students in fields such as linguistics, country and region studies, and more.
In her opening speech, Professor Cao Ruonan, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, warmly welcomed the two university presidents from Africa. She pointed out that Africa, as an important partner region of the “Belt and Road” initiative, is undergoing profound social, economic, and educational transformation. In this context, strengthening exchanges and cooperation between higher education institutions in China and Africa is not only a responsibility entrusted to universities by the times but also an essential part of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Professor Cao reviewed the school’s achievements in African studies and stated that in recent years, the school has actively promoted the integrated development of country and region studies, and linguistics. It has continued to carry out Sino-African higher education cooperation projects and international academic exchanges, making positive progress. She emphasized that face-to-face dialogues with senior administrators from African universities help faculty and students better understand Africa’s unique paths and valuable experiences in higher education governance, knowledge innovation, and talent development. In the future, the school will continue to build academic platforms for African studies and international cooperation, serving national strategies and responding to global concerns.
The first lecture “The Paradigm Shift of Universities from Teaching to Influence-A Case Study of Maseno University.” was delivered by Professor Julius Omondi Nyabundi, the President of Maseno University in Kenya. Professor Nyabundi discussed “Building Social Impact in Higher Education” by drawing on his extensive experience in agricultural and ecological sciences research, as well as higher education management. He analyzed how Maseno University has built a regional knowledge network through enhancing international cooperation and integrating traditional teaching with social services. He particularly emphasized that, in the context of global higher education reforms, African universities should take proactive actions to enhance their social service capabilities and regional influence.
The second lecture “The Role of Emerging Universities in the Knowledge Economy-A Case Study of Tom Mboya University” was delivered by Professor Charles Ochola Omondi, the President of Tom Mboya University in Kenya. Starting with research on demographics, migration, and development, Professor Omondi explained in detail the roles and practices of universities in topics such as blue economy, sustainable development, and social governance. He pointed out that Tom Mboya University is committed to building research platforms guided by local development needs, while continuously expanding its influence in regional and international affairs, showcasing the unique role and growth potential of emerging universities in the knowledge economy system.
Both lectures were hosted by Dr. Li Siyuan from the School of Foreign Languages at Northwest University. The lectures were well-received, with faculty and students engaging in in-depth discussions with the speakers on topics such as educational transformation in African universities, governance experiences, and the building of knowledge cooperation platforms. These lectures provided a valuable opportunity for our faculty and students to understand the new trends in African higher education development and injected fresh intellectual momentum into advancing country and region studies and expanding China-Africa educational cooperation.
Text：Li Hongchu，Sun Hanxi
Photo：Qu Yuanjun
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