By Wang Hai

CUC Explores New Mode of Media Education Cooperation

By Wang Hai

The year 2016 marks the ASEANChina Year of Educational Exchange and has seen increased bilateral education exchange and cooperation at all levels and in multiple fields. In terms of higher education cooperation, a great number of Chinese colleges and universities have seized this opportunity to carry out cooperation with ASEAN partners in their respective areas of specialty through academic forums, seminars, joint projects and other forms.

With the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, educational and cultural exchanges between China and ASEAN countries have reached a high level. The Chinese government has adopted a series of measures, including establishing 30 China-ASEAN Education Training Centers (CAETC), jointly designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, in Southeast Asia. The Beijing-based Communication University of China (CUC) is the only designated higher education institution specializing in media and communication studies. On Sept. 21, the New Media, TV and Broadcasting Technology Training Program 2016, co-sponsored by CAETC and CUC’s Faculty of Continuing Education and Faculty of Science and Technology, kicked off at CUC. This was the first such program held by CAETC for media professionals.

Media Professionals Exchange

Unlike the fields of basic science, applied science and the humanities, which have seen frequent exchanges, media education remains a “shadow area” in China-ASEAN education cooperation. The September training program initiated by CUC, a frontrunner in China’s media education, represents the beginning of a new start in media education exchange.

Conducted exclusively in English, the 10-day program mainly targeted high-caliber media professionals from Southeast Asian countries, including executives and technicians in new media, radio and television, as well as educators from institutions of higher education. Upon the announcement of the program, it received an enthusiastic response — applications came not only from media elites in ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, but also from senior media practitioners in Nepal and Bangladesh.

Compared with other Asian countries like Japan and South Korea, ASEAN countries are disadvantaged in vocational education in media studies, with an insufficient supply of professional talent. As new media technologies emerge, dramatic changes have taken place in the field of communication, including content, channels, formatting and technology.Thus, cultivating versatile professionals who are well-equipped for the new media environment is vital to a large number of countries.

In an attempt to make the training effective and help elevate the trainees’vocational skills, the program organizers deliberately designed a curriculum that covered new media, media integration, “television-plus”, “inter-

In an attempt to make the training effective and help elevate the trainees’vocational skills, the program organizers deliberately designed a curriculum that covered new media, media integration,“television-plus”,“internet-plus”, the “internet of things”, big data and other cutting-edge technologies.

net-plus”, the “internet of things”, big data and other cutting-edge technologies. Its primary objective was to build a platform for ASEAN media practitioners to gain insight into China’s technological and theoretical development in the field of media, in addition to conducting professional exchanges.

Stage for Cultural Interaction

Apart from professional and academic discussion, cultural exchange was another major focus of the training program.

The trainees were invited to visit CUC’s Media Museum, the Cui Yongyuan Center for Oral History, named after a former China Central Television (CCTV) host, and the New Media Institute, where they received on-site training. The curriculum was also diversified to allow the trainees opportunities to visit the Sony HD Operations and Engineering Academy and the Sina.com headquarters for interactive training.

Complementing the core content of the training were a diversity of cultural experience activities at Tian’anmen Square, the National Museum of China, Beijing Porcelain Art Museum and the ASEAN-China Center, which provided another arena for the trainees to get closer to Chinese culture.

Despite its short run, the well-designed program impressed each of the trainees and brought fruitful results. Addressing the closing ceremony, Wang Guoqing, former vice minister of the State Council Information Office, said: “Obviously, you have gained a better understanding of China through the program. You not only came to study, you are also envoys of friendship between Chinese people and people of ASEAN and neighboring countries. I hope that you will bring the Chinese people’s friendly sentiment to your home country, and that there will be more in-depth cooperation between your educational institutions and media organizations and their Chinese counterparts.”

Pieter Fleury, a renowned Dutch filmmaker who participated in the training, felt a strong bond to fellow attendees.

“It was here that I became acquainted with so many Asian friends, who carried out these friendly exchanges on an equal footing,” he said.“I have realized that China is making friends with its neighbors with great sincerity.”

Compared to his fellow trainees, Zaw Win Kiang from Myanmar is an “old China hand”. As a journalist specializing in coverage of China, he had visited China many times before the event was held.

“Each time I come here, I gain something new,” Zaw Win Kiang said. “The more I learn about China, the more accurate and vivid reports I can present.”

Although he has traveled to many places and attended various important events in China, this training program had particular meaning for Zaw Win Kiang.

“It not only improved my professional expertise, but also expanded my business connections,” he noted.“While visiting CCTV, I discussed with my counterparts about win-win cooperation potential in certain areas, which is something I didn’t expect.”

In the perspective of Dong Guanpeng, dean of the Faculty of Continuing Education and director of the Academy of Media and Public Affairs at CUC, this program marked a positive start to increased media cooperation between China and ASEAN.

“It is fruitful, because as far as I know, some of the students have established cooperative partnerships with CCTV News, some have reached consensus with China International Publishing Group on building a reporting sharing mechanism, and some have come to agreements with CUC in regards to conducting education cooperation,” Dong said.

As one of the organizers, Tian Ye, assistant director of CUC’s International Education Center, also expressed his view on the program’s benefits. According to Tian, by giving full play to the CUC’s traditional advantages in communication education, the program filled a blank in education exchange between China and ASEAN.

“I believe that bilateral cooperation in the field of media education will continue to grow in the foreseeable future,” Tian said.

Trainees interact with lecturers in a class held as part of the New Media, TV and Broadcasting Technology Training Program 2016.