The Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Polytechnic or SICP and Malta's Institute of Tourism Studies or ITS recently signed a cooperation agreement at the Maltese embassy in China to strengthen their educational partnership.
The agreement focuses on managing the Malta International College at SICP, which was established in 2023.
The collaboration aims to improve credit recognition, innovate teaching methods and facilitate exchanges between teachers and students. The big goal is to optimize educational resources and promote friendly exchanges, enhancing the overall education quality.
The college welcomed its first students in September 2024 and it's dedicated to developing internationally-minded professionals in the hotel and catering industries. The initiative is the first officially recognized Sino-foreign educational partnership between China and Malta in over 50 years of diplomatic relations.
Ye Yinzhong, president of SICP, highlighted the agreement as a crucial step in deepening cooperation and friendship between the two institutions. He called for continued collaboration to nurture high-quality talent with a global vision, contributing to educational exchanges between China and Malta.
Founded in 1987, the Institute of Tourism Studies in Malta trains professionals in tourism, cultural heritage and hotel management. It offers recognized qualifications across Europe.