UN Tourism and Shandong University Establish a Key Partnership for the Benefit of Sustainable Tourism Development Worldwide

Context

UN Tourism travelled to Weihai in the Shandong Province of China to celebrate the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UN Tourism and Shandong University, one of China’s high-level universities listed in the “Double First-Class Initiative” released by the central government of China. During the meeting between officials from the International Development and Cooperation Department (IDC) of UN Tourism and the management of Shandong University, led by the Secretary of the Party Working Committee, Wehai Campus, Prof. Qiu Daobin, it was agreed to pursue common areas of interest outlined in the MoU, including the promotion of quality education and human capital development within the tourism sector; the exchange of technical expertise and the joint development of technical cooperation projects; and collaboration in the spheres of innovation, digital transformation and youth empowerment.

Following the meeting and exchange ceremony, UN Tourism visited Shandong University’s Weihai Campus. Established in 1984 based on the collaboration between Shandong University and Weihai Municipality, the campus is recognized for its multi-disciplinary focus and open-access installations enjoyed by students from around the world. 
 

Highlights

In addition to agreeing upon a common course of action aimed at enlivening the MoU with practical initiatives, UN Tourism held a tourism masterclass attended by students of the tourism, business, international studies, Northeast Asia studies, and the translation faculty. Focused on sustainable tourism development from an international perspective, the masterclass was followed by a lively discussion between the participants.

UN Tourism, accompanied by Shandong University and Weihai Municipality representatives, also conducted a technical visit of the city of Weihai. Renowned for its picturesque environment and eco-friendly liveability, Weihai is located at the eastern end of the Shandong Peninsula bordering the Yellow Sea to the north, east and south, and facing the Korean Peninsula to the east. A coastal city with relevant tourism sites and attractions, Weihai is an important node between Beijing and Tianjin and harbours one of the most important ports in Northeast Asia. 

Stay Tuned

In the coming months, UN Tourism and Shandong University will cooperate in the implementation of technical projects, with a focus on improving tourism research, especially along the Silk Road, and in improving the skills of tourism officials from Member States on how to attract Chinese visitation to their destinations. Stay tuned for more!