Henan Normal University signs deals with vision to bridge two countries

The Perpignan International Institute of Science and Engineering project at Henan Normal University passed the review and recommendation of the Henan provincial government recently, and is advancing the approval process for record filing by the Ministry of Education.

Focusing on four areas of mathematics, physics, electrical engineering and automation, as well as computer science and technology, the institute will engage in international cooperative education.

During a visit to France, Professor Feng Shuxia, Party secretary of Henan Normal University, and Professor Yvan Auguet, the president of the University of Perpignan, signed a framework agreement for the joint establishment of a cooperative educational institution between the two universities, namely the Perpignan International Institute of Science and Engineering project at Henan Normal University.

The two parties also signed a cooperation agreement under the European Union's Erasmus Program, making Henan Normal University the first university in the province to join the Erasmus Program.

Regional normal universities are an experimental field for integrated reforms in education, science and technology and talent; and a source of excellent teacher training; and they act as the main force for high-quality development of regional basic education, Feng said.

Dong Hai, dean of the College of International Education at Henan Normal University, said: "The establishment of the institute is another important achievement of the cooperation between the two universities. It will inject new vitality into Sino-French educational cooperation and present a gift for the 50th anniversary of Sino-European diplomatic relations."

Chai Xinru, a student at Henan Normal University, recently set off for an internship in France. She is considering applying for a doctoral program to specialize in language education. For her, learning is not just about language but about the ability to communicate culture and connect with the world.

As a three-time regional champion of the French song contest organized by the Chinese French Language Alliance, Chai has grown since her time as a freshman at university. Her growth trajectory reflects the achievements of the cooperation between the two universities.

Since the establishment of the French major at the university, the goal has been to use language to break educational boundaries. Professor Song Ye, who is the vice-president of the university, advocated for integrating the university's tradition of teacher education into foreign language talent cultivation and enabling students to understand the ways of cross-cultural communication.

In 2023, the two universities collaborated to launch a master's program, becoming the first cooperative graduate program between China and a foreign country in Henan province. Since then, its students can obtain a French master's degree without going abroad. And the undergraduate French program was rated as one of the first batch of high-quality cooperative education projects in Henan province in 2024. Its further study rate reached 50 percent in 2025.

Zuo Jiayue, a graduate from the French language major at Henan Normal University and currently a master's student in French as a foreign language at the University of Perpignan, participated in voluntary translation services for foreign affairs activities in 2024. Zuo was among the first cohort of the Duxing Experimental Class, which has helped more than 250 students pursue further studies in France.

"I just did what I had to do. In France, I often think that every sentence I speak in French not only represents myself but also represents my country," Zuo said.

The story of French youth is equally fascinating. In 2024, Anthony Philip came to Henan Normal University for teaching internships through the Ministry of Education's Sino-French Youth Exchange Program. Originally only planning for a brief internship, he decided to stay in China as a full-time French teacher due to the enthusiasm of the students and the campus atmosphere.

"Here, I am not only a disseminator of language but also an introducer of French culture. The teaching process is also my process of understanding and falling in love with China," Philip said.