Gilbert on INDUS News, again. A Skype interview for the INDUS News special on COVID-19.
For a “change” talking about the virus. Indus News is the first international news channel of Pakistan.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/9XG9-8CYcsU
Talking about the EU Climate Law
On 10 March I was talking about the EU Climate Law on Indus News, the Special with Meshal Malik. It is the TV station from Pakistan. Interview by Skype, from my Beijing office.
China and The World
Gilbert on CGTN
Here is the online link of the “China and the World” documentary. CGTN broadcasted it at 11:08 am on 27 December 2019, and replayed it at 03:08 am on 28 December, and it also launched it on the CGTN new media platform. My part starts from 18:25 to 20:58. Renaat Morel is also featured. As you can see the “answers” I provided and were retained are not that close to the questions. As a matter of fact many of my comments were not considered, too much self-censorship… I even taught they would not show me… maybe I said too much with honesty…
The link works on Safari, not on Firefox in my case.
https://s-url.cgtn.com/m/fDFHIA
The questions
See the introduction by CCTV, CGTN is the international channel of CCTV.
To celebrate the 70 anniversary of PRC, CCTV is making a special documentary about the personnel exchange. We would like to invite you to join us to talk about China’s development and the exchanges between China and the rest of the world from the perspective of foreigners.
Questions:
- What is your initial impression of the Chinese people? Where does it come from and what new discoveries have been made after dealing with the Chinese people?
- What are the characteristics and cultural differences of Chinese people studying and working abroad?
- Among the Chinese studying abroad, a considerable proportion of them remain working and living abroad. Is this a drain of resources or a channel for China to export influence?
- What changes have China’s national image experienced since the 1970s? In your opinion, what aspects of China’s influence on the world are the most significant?
- In your opinion, what does reform and opening up mean to China?
- Compared with the 1990s, more Chinese graduates have returned to China for development. What’s your take on that?
- Nowadays, many foreigners come to China to work and start businesses. How far is China from becoming an international human resources market?
Visiting my office
On 22 August 2019 the CGTN team visited my office where part of the interview was shot. Later we walked to Morel’s Restaurant where we had lunch.
Global Talents Exchange Association
Friendship Hotel
On 22 December 2019 I was invited by the Beijing Global Talents Exchange Association for their yearly event at the Friendship Palace (Friendship Hotel). Good to meet several old friends, including Michael Crook I had not seen since … 2009.
Also pictured: Song Peng and Ding Zhifeng (Executive President and Secretary General of BGTEA).
The program of “Talents Forum & Global Talent Summit 2020”:
Award-giving Ceremony – Global Talent Meritorious Honor Award for Isabel Crook followed by her birthday celebration (104 years young!).
BGTEA Ambassadors Awards: Michael Crook, David G. Evans, Erik Robert Nilsson.
Distinguished Foreign Experts Awards: David Feng, Vassilia Pirierros, Terry Crossman and others.
Unveiling “Beijing Home from Home for Foreign Friends by Michael Crook.
International students’ performance and Foreign experts’ performance (Mark Levine and others).
The event
We first had a buffet dinner where I met several familiar faces…
The event was immediately featured on CCTV4, and the clip was shown on screen.
Fu Han was one of the hosts and performed with Mark Levine.
Ding Zhifeng gave a (long) report on the BGTEA activities.
Beijing Global Talents Exchange Association
BGTEA (Global Talent Association) is short for Beijing Global Talent Exchange Association is registered in Zhongguancun, and approved by the civil affairs department as a national organization. Under the strategy on developing a quality workforce, BGTEA aims to facilitate exchanges and cooperation of talents, technologies and high-tech projects, develop an innovation-driven country and offer intellectual support for progress.
BGTEA was initiated by 7 institutions, including Beijing Normal University, Beijing Keda high-tech Ltd., etc. Since the foundation on March 30th, 2015, We have made many achievements, gathered experts on global talents exchange and high-tech projects, reserved a bunch of overseas elites on science and technology.
Website: http://www.talent.org.cn/public/index.php/index/en/index
I am member of the (Foreign) Advisory Committee of Experts.
Zhejiang Yuexiu University
UWEE BRITF in Shaoxing
On 20 April I left for Zhejiang Yuexiu University in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, along with William Spiers and David Li (UWEE). See about BRITF here.
After landing in Hangzhou a car brought us to the very large and impressive campus where we stayed in the model hotel and restaurant, operated by the students of YIHA (Yuexiu Institute of Hospitality Administration), located within Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages, 2801 Qunxian Road, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province.
About the university
Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign languages is financed by a private Chinese biomedical group that also runs some five-star hotels (Marriott and other).
It has two campuses, this is the new one, with 10,000 students, the other campus counts 7,000 students.
It is a brand-new campus with modern buildings, state of the art class rooms, very modern, integrated microphone system, many screens.
It includes YIHA, YueXiu Institute of Hospitality Administration, 1200 students. It offers two undergraduate International Bachelor Degree programs: International Hospitality Management and International Events Management. Tuition fee would be about RMB 20,000 per year. Dormitory cost some RMB 4,000 per year. Total of four years. Extensive internships included.
See their introduction: YIHA Standard PresentationIPAD
The Library
We visited the impressive Library building with all possible facilities, see the pictures. We wondered if any university in Europe could boast having something similar.
The seminar
On 21 April Easter Sunday we first met the dean of YIHA, Georges Ubbelohde (from Belgium!).
The International Seminar on Internationalization and localization of Event Education invited dozens of universities and colleges event management leaders from all around the country to discuss ways to promote the development of event education in China so as to nurture more international event professionals.
Seminar was followed by a group photo in front of the Library.
Organized by: Zhejiang Convention and Exhibition Association; Zhejiang Oriental Convention and Exhibition Industry Research Institute; Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages.
Keynote speeches:
– William Spiers: “Internationalisation & Localisation of Exhibition Education – INTERNATIONAL VISIONS AND FEELINGS”
– Gilbert Van Kerckhove: ” International Exhibitions – Do’s and Don’t”
In the afternoon we were given a tour of the library and campus, with Evelyn (Hangzhou), Holy and Chen. In the rain. The campus also has several shops and small restaurants.
Sightseeing
We were spoiled by our two guides who took us around Shaoxing City on Monday 22 April. We learned they were selected after a competition involving some 100 candidates. Impressive, flattering…
First came Shen’s Garden, with a history of over 800 years. Known for the love story of Lu You and Tang Wan.
Later Lu Xun hometown, his birth place and home.
Later I will post more pics of the sightseeing part.
After lunch in a local restaurant we walked around and had a boat trip.
After our return to our hotel we had coffee and met a Chinese lady author, Fiona who was introducing her book about coaching.
To close the day we had a great dinner in Shaoxing CBD, SIJIFENGQING XUNWEI Restaurant.