2026 China‑Africa Year of People‑to‑People Exchanges Series, Center for West African Studies of UESTC

Source: School of Public Administration and Center for West African Studies of UESTC

On October 2, the 2026 Ghana Governance Training Program concluded at the Shahe Campus of the University of Electronic

Science and Technology of China (UESTC). Fifteen participants from Ghanaian universities and local public administration 

departments completed the program. Jointly organized by the Center for West African Studies of UESTC and the UESTC Base for 

Sichuan Provincial Cadre Education and Training, the program was part of the Center's 2026 China‑Africa Year of 

People‑to‑People Exchanges series. Through lectures, field visits, and discussions, the program focused on the 

modernization of public governance and promoted mutual learning between China and Ghana in public governance and talent 

development.

The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between China and African countries and has 

been designated the China‑Africa Year of People‑to‑People Exchanges. The program aimed to implement the spirit of the 

congratulatory letter sent by President Xi Jinping to the opening ceremony of the Year. Building on UESTC's educational 

cooperation with Ghanaian universities, it connected China's public governance practices with the learning needs of 

Ghanaian participants, providing a platform for deeper mutual understanding and cooperation.

Opening Session and Cooperation in Talent Development

The opening ceremony was held at UESTC's Shahe Campus on September 24. Zheng Yutao, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the 

School of Public Administration and Deputy Director of the UESTC Base for Sichuan Provincial Cadre Education and Training, 

delivered remarks. He introduced UESTC's cooperation with Ghanaian universities, reviewed progress in jointly established 

research platforms, and outlined the program design. He noted that the program focused on sharing China's development 

practices and expressed hope that both sides would deepen mutual understanding through discussion and draw useful lessons 

for public governance in light of their respective circumstances.

Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and head of the Ghanaian 

delegation, attended the opening ceremony.

Zheng Yutao delivers remarks at the opening ceremony     

Samuel Kwaku Bonsu attends the opening ceremony

Liu Quansheng, President of the Sichuan Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, delivered 

concluding remarks at the opening ceremony. From the perspective of strengthening local exchanges between China and Ghana, 

he introduced Sichuan's economic and social development, science and education, culture, and opening‑up. He noted that 

the program was a concrete step in implementing the outcomes of the Forum on China‑Africa Cooperation and promoting mutual 

understanding between the two peoples. He encouraged participants to engage deeply, build friendships, and serve as 

ambassadors of China‑Ghana friendship.

Liu Quansheng delivers remarks at the opening ceremony

The opening ceremony was moderated by Professor Zhao Shurong, Director of the Center for West African Studies of UESTC and 

a faculty member of the School of Public Administration, UESTC.

Zhao Shurong moderates the opening ceremony

During the opening ceremony, the School of Public Administration of UESTC and GIMPA signed an agreement on a joint 

training program for master's students, laying a foundation for deeper cooperation in talent development.

Signing of the agreement on the joint training program for master's students

Chinese and Ghanaian representatives pose for a group photo after the opening ceremony

Lectures and Classroom Discussions

The program comprised three modules: global and regional governance, digital and smart governance, and urban‑rural 

industrial development. Experts and scholars from UESTC, Capital University of Economics and Business, Sichuan University, 

and other institutions delivered lectures and led discussions on issues of public governance and local development.

Professor Zhao Shurong of UESTC delivered lectures on China's Reform and Opening‑Up and National Governance: Experience 

and Implications for China‑Africa Cooperation and Global Public Governance and Regional Development Cooperation in Africa. 

She introduced rural reform practices such as the household responsibility system and rural collective property rights reform, 

examined the links between reform and opening‑up and grassroots governance, and discussed practical pathways for China‑Africa 

cooperation in regional governance.

Professor Dong Ziming of UESTC delivered a lecture on Digital Communication and Local Governance, using grassroots cases to explain 

the use of digital communication tools in government transparency, public communication, and social governance. Professor Pan Na of 

Capital University of Economics and Business delivered a lecture series on Smart City Governance Reform, sharing China's experience 

in smart city development and discussing institutional adaptation and practical applications in urban digital transformation.

Associate Professor Jiang Hai of UESTC delivered a lecture on Human‑Machine Collaborative Media Production, introducing models of 

human‑technology collaboration in information production and communication in the digital era and discussing the impact of media 

technologies on public governance. Associate Professor Men Lixiang of UESTC gave a presentation on Digital Public Governance, 

explaining the role of digital technologies in government functions and public service delivery, as well as the opportunities and 

challenges of digital governance.

Professor Wu Min of Sichuan University delivered a lecture on Digital Governance Empowering Public Education Services: China's 

Experience, China‑Africa Cooperation, and Localization in Ghana. She introduced Chinese practices in using digital technologies 

to improve public education services and explored possible pathways for China‑Africa cooperation adapted to Ghana's local context.

The program combined theory with case studies. Participants discussed practical issues in public administration and urban‑rural 

development in Ghana with the lecturers and considered the conditions under which different experiences could be adapted and applied.

Field Study on Urban‑Rural Development and Grassroots Governance

During the program, participants combined classroom learning with field observation to better understand local development practices 

in China from the perspectives of technological innovation, cultural heritage, ecological conservation, and community services. Jiang 

Heng of the Sichuan Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries assisted with the organization and 

coordination of field activities. Relevant departments of Chengdu University of Technology provided coordination, reception, and guided 

interpretation for the visit to the Chengdu Natural History Museum.

Participants visited the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum, the UESTC Electronic Science and Technology Museum and Library, the Chengdu 

Natural History Museum (Museum of Chengdu University of Technology), community governance sites in Chenghua District, and the Chengdu 

Museum. These visits provided insights into technological innovation, museum development, natural science, community services, grassroots 

governance, Bashu history and culture, and urban development.

Field study on rural revitalization was conducted in Zhanqi Village and Qinggangshu Village in Pidu District. In Zhanqi Village, 

participants visited local exhibition and cultural venues to learn about rural collective property rights reform under Party leadership, 

integrated development of agriculture, culture and tourism, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. In Qinggangshu Village, 

they observed the conservation of western Sichuan forest settlements and wetland ecosystems, and learned how local communities use ecological 

resources to develop rural industries and increase residents' incomes.

The field study connected classroom discussions with local practice. Drawing on rural development in Ghana, participants exchanged views on 

resource utilization, rural industries, and grassroots governance, gaining a deeper understanding of the conditions required to adapt 

different governance experiences.

Successful Conclusion and Continued Cooperation

The closing ceremony was held on October 2, with Zheng Yutao and Samuel Kwaku Bonsu in attendance. Zheng congratulated the participants on 

completing the program and noted that the end of the program did not mark the end of exchanges. He expressed hope that, through the Center 

for West African Studies of UESTC, both sides would remain connected in areas such as digital governance, public administration, and 

urban‑rural development, and deepen cooperation through online seminars, academic visits, and experience sharing.

At the closing ceremony, participants received certificates of completion. The program also expressed appreciation to the lecturers, 

volunteers, alumni involved in support work, and staff of the UESTC Base for Sichuan Provincial Cadre Education and Training. As the program 

spanned the Mid‑Autumn Festival and National Day holiday period, staff members continued to provide course coordination, accommodation, 

transportation, and field‑study support to ensure its smooth delivery.

Group photo at the closing ceremony

The program received strong support from Tang Hong, a UESTC alumnus, UESTC Overseas Ambassador for Africa, Executive Advisor to the Advisory 

Committee of the Center for West African Studies of UESTC, and President of the Ghana Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Acknowledgement session at the closing ceremony

From classroom exchanges to field observation, the program strengthened mutual understanding between Chinese experts and Ghanaian participants 

and expanded channels for sharing experience in public governance and cooperation in talent development. By organizing the program and 

connecting university teaching with local practice, the Center for West African Studies of UESTC further strengthened ties with its Ghanaian 

partners and gained valuable experience for future educational and people‑to‑people exchanges.

Article by: Huang Ruiqi

Photography by: Xu Peifeng and Luo Hongquan

Contributed by: Center for West African Studies of UESTC

Edited by Xu Qianwen