“The Belt and Road” Forum for International Cooperation and Development on Agricultural Modernization was held on the 15^th of December at Jiangsu University (JSU). During the forum, Wang Chengbin, Deputy Director-General of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education (JPDE), met with Madam Kayula Siame, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Zambia, accompanied by Prof. Yan Xiaohong, President of JSU，He Xingchu, Director of Department for International Cooperation and Exchange of JPDE, Director Prof. Li Zhongxing and Deputy Director Associate Prof. Huang Ting from International office of JSU.

Wang Chenbin extended a warm welcome to Madam Kayula Siame. He said Jiangsu province owned not only robust economy but also strong education foundation, and the elementary education, vocational and technical education, higher education were all among the best in China. Moreover, Jiangsu Province had excellent performance in international projects such as Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). He also pointed that among the first batch of High-Level Universities of Jiangsu Province, JSU had been keeping the agricultural machinery characteristics in mind and developed quickly. Madam Kayula Siame’s visit and the MOU signed between JSU and the University of Zambia would further promote academic exchanges, scientific research and talents cultivation between these two universities, JPDE firmly supported the proposal of building branch school of JSU in Zambia, for it was an innovation to enhance China-Zambia higher education collaboration.

Madam Kayula Siame spoke highly of the education quality in Jiangsu province, especially in JSU, and expressed strong aspiration for the branch school proposal. She said that the Ministry of Higher Education of Zambia would actively support and promote the further implementation of the proposal, meanwhile further strengthened the collaboration between Jiangsu province and Zambia in talents cultivation, especially the young students.

During the visit, Madam Kayula Siame visited School of Food & Biological Engineering, School of Agricultural Equipment Engineering, and Research Centre of Fluid Machinery Engineering and Technology. She knew visually about the experiment conditions, subject features and scientific research capability of JSU, which enhanced her confidence in the cooperation between the two sides.