Peking University, Beijing, May. 21, 2009: On the morning of May 18, accompanied by Mr. Abdullah Salleh Al-Saadi, the Omani Ambassador to China, Dr. Rawya bint Saud Al-Busaeed, the Minister of Higher Education of Oman's Sultan Qabous bin Saeed, visited Peking University (PKU). Prof. Lin Jianhua, the Vice-President of PKU, received the guests together with Prof. Liu Shusen, the Vice-Dean of School of Foreign Languages, Yan Jun, the Vice-Director of Office of International Relations, and Prof. Xie Zhirong, the Director of the Arabic Department of PKU.

Dr. Rawya bint Saud Al-Busaeed first introduced the situation of Sultan Quaboos University. She expressed that Sultan Quaboos University has planned to start a Chinese language teaching project, they hoped that students of the Arabic Department of PKU could go to Sultan Quaboos University to participate in one-semester or one-year academic exchange activities. These students could learn Arabic and experience the culture of Arabia while teaching Chinese. She also hoped the PKU exchange students would visit local IT industry and other high technology bases during the exchanging period to promote the technical communication between China and Arabia. She expressed the cooperating intention to establish joint degrees on the petroleum refining and water resources protection with PKU as well.

Prof. Lin Jianhua introduced the history of PKU to the guests. He pointed out that PKU, as a historic university, has been on its way to be one of the world-level universities with a positive attitude. He believed that the cooperation between the two universities would improve the relation and increase the peace and friendship between the two countries.

Background: Sultan Quaboos University, located in Muscat, was established on September 30, 1986. The university council is composed of the competent and well-trained professors from Arabia and foreign universities, and they have started to plan to employ the Omani as teachers in different stages. Their academic researches are compatible with the national condition of Oman's Sultan Qabous bin Saeed, and combine with the development of the global technology, the economy, the science, and the literary as well. In the mean time, it also maintains the characteristics, tradition, civilization, and the moral and social values of the Omani society. The university has made contributions to the happiness of the people of Oman's Sultan Qabous bin Saeed.

Edited by: Connie Chang

Translated by: Su Juan

Source: PKU News (Chinese)