Exclusive: Science & technology cooperation with China embodies BRI wisdom, boosts global innovation

Photo: Deng Xiaoci/GT

The Eighth Belt and Road Teenagers Makers Camp and Teacher Workshop kicked off on Tuesday afternoon in Kunming, Southwest China’s Yunnan Province. Distinguished guests from all over the world shared their personal experiences with the Global Times on the sidelines of this multilateral event, held under the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). They praised it as an invaluable platform for addressing practical issues in local education sectors and promoting people-to-people exchanges.

This year’s Belt and Road Teenagers Makers Camp and Teacher Workshop, the eighth edition since it started in 2017, is organized by the China Association of Science and Technology, China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, Yunnan provincial government. Near 300 educational professionals and students from over 30 countries, a record high, are participating the event running from July 23 to 28. 

It is my fourth time to participant in this event, and the cutting-edge science that students engage in at very young ages has remained for me the most inspiring and most impressive, Jackie Kado, executive director of the Kenya-based Network of African Science Academies (NASAC), which is the umbrella organization for 30 science academies in Africa, told the Global Times. 

According to Kado, there are difficulties in developing science education in Africa, such as the socialization that science is a difficult subject only boys can pursue. Additionally, the capacity of science laboratories with relevant scientific equipment to motivate learning in schools has remained limited. Furthermore, it is hard to build a high earning career, making it difficult to attract young people.

China-Africa cooperation can improve science education in Africa by cultivating a culture of exchange among students and experts. Such exchanges open doors to more opportunities for both students and teachers to collaborate to overcome a myriad of challenges in science and technology, she hailed.

She continued to remark that there are resources and skills that are uniquely available in either China or Africa that can add value to different scientific fields and spur the innovative potential of students of science.

Manzoor H Soomro, winner of the Chinese Government Friendship Award in 2020 and vice-president of the Belt and Road International Science Education Consortium (BRISEC), has been a key force behind the camp since its inception in 2017. This year marks his eighth time participation.

“I really love the Chinese approach and development. In the Western world, developed countries often feel superior. But in the East, there is a wisdom that keeps you humble and open to collaboration, much like the original Belt and Road story where people learned from each other, fostering much science and technology,” he told the Global Times.

Commenting on the significance of the youth camp under the BRI, Manzoor emphasized that people-to-people exchanges carry their own momentum. These interactions go beyond formal economic cooperation and collaboration.

“The younger generation is the future,” Manzoor noted. “Today’s teenagers are tomorrow’s leaders, and this camp helps them build networks. Not all participants will pursue science and technology; some will enter administration, finance, foreign affairs, policy-making, and other fields. The connections and trust they build as children will be invaluable.”

He continued, “When they become national leaders, the understanding and networks they formed will help build businesses and mutual benefits. Globally, they can also work together for betterment at the UN level.”

“The beauty of science and technology diplomacy is that it focuses on issues and solutions universally, without political interference. With this mindset, even in politics, they will think positively and pursue cooperation. Connecting with the younger generation will sustain this mindset, institutionalizing it,” he concluded.

Frankly speaking, in Malaysia, we are facing some real challenges. The number of high school students opting to major in science streams in colleges and universities is decreasing, which is not healthy. Hopefully, the eye-opening camp activities will help reverse that step by step, Bok-min Goi, a professor at Malaysia’s Tunku Abdul Rahman University in Kuala Lumpur, told the Global Times on Monday.

Photo: Deng Xiaoci/GT

Photo: Deng Xiaoci/GT

Photo: Deng Xiaoci/GT

The student maker camps help young students gain hands-on experience, fostering their creativity and innovation, and making them more confident in choosing science and engineering paths. Additionally, the sharing and interaction with students from different cultural backgrounds build relationships, he said. They will meet many friends from all over the world, possibly forming lasting connections starting from this week.

To make science and technology cool again, to make students self-motivated in science learning, and to help them fall in love with science, we must return to hands-on experiments. Just learning theory and memorizing formulas is quite boring, and it was challenging to have such experiences during the pandemic for two years. We need to go to labs, make mistakes, and even break some instruments—that’s how you learn from experience. It becomes cool and unforgettable, he noted.

The professor also praised the fundamental research achievements China has attained in recent years, saying they are the most impressive. Due to strong fundamental research, we can see that China has made advancements in manufacturing, such as in the field of electric vehicles.