On October 20, 2021, the inaugural meeting of China-Norway Marine University Consortium Alliance was held at Ocean University of China (OUC). Leaders from the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges under the Chinese Ministry of Education, the Chinese Embassy in Norway and the Norwegian Embassy in China, and the 23 member institutions met online to witness the establishment of alliance and jointly ushered in a new chapter of the two countries’ cooperation in marine-related fields. Prof. Tian Hui, Secretary of CPC Committee of OUC, delivered a welcome speech. Prof. Li Huajun, Vice President of OUC, signed the agreement for the co-establishment of the alliance with Prof. Nils Christian Stenseth, on behalf of the member institutions.

China has signed a number of bilateral agreements for education cooperation with Norway, an important partner, with fruitful outcomes achieved in collaborative education and research. Since maritime cooperation has always been a highlight in the two countries’ cooperation, it is especially meaningful that OUC and the University of Bergen (UiB) jointly found the alliance with marine-related universities on the two sides. The alliance will work to build an innovative platform of education and research, to promote substantive cooperation in marine education between the two countries and build a maritime community with a shared future.