From November 24 to 26, the Seminar on Revitalizing Higher Education in Central and Western China and Building an Educational Powerhouse in the New Era,hostedby the NAEA and organized by Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, was successfully held at Shaanxi University of Science and Technology. Hou Huijun, Party Secretary of the CPC NAEA Committee and Executive Vice President, Liu Jianlin, Secretary of the Education Commission of the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee, and Li Zhijian, President of Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, addressed the seminar. Zhang Maizeng, former Secretary of Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Pan Baotian, Vice President of Lanzhou University, attended and delivered keynote reports. The opening ceremony was presided over by Fan Pingjun, Vice President of NAEA. Leaders and officials from more than 40 universities across the country, as well as representatives from relevant NAEA departments and faculty attended the seminar.

Madame Hou pointed out that the Overseas Study Program for One Thousand University Presidents from Central and Western China (hereinafter the "Central and Western Program") has expanded global perspectives of university leaders in central and western regions, and the trainees have incorporated international experiences into managing their own institutions, thus injecting new vitality in education in China’s Central and Western regions. Designed as a platform for participants to share useful practices gained from the the program and to solicit feedback on improving overseas training for university presidents, the seminar aims to explore the pivotal question: What does a leading education nation look like and how do we build it?