Professor Bailey speaks at QS Summit in China
Professor Helen Bailey, Vice Principal International at Queen Mary University of London, chaired a high-profile panel discussion focused on innovation and higher education across the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on Wednesday 9 April in Chengdu.
This year’s conference, themed "Navigating New Pathways: Education and Innovation in China and Beyond”, brought international education leaders together to explore the evolving intersection between digital transformation, skills development, and regional collaboration in a rapidly changing global landscape.
In her opening remarks, Professor Helen Bailey highlighted the critical role of universities in advancing the BRI, which brings together more than 150 states across Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania and Central America. “If land and maritime routes connect cities and help foster open trade, then education must connect peoples, minds, ideas, and futures,” she noted.
Drawing on Queen Mary’s long-standing tradition of international engagement, Professor Bailey spoke about the university’s extensive transnational education (TNE) activity in China:
“We were the first UK institution to pioneer a ‘Flying Faculty’ model, blending the best of British and Chinese academic excellence to create a truly integrated educational experience. We are proud to be educating over 5,500 students across our four campuses in China—some partnerships now over two decades old and continuing to grow”.
She also spotlighted the launch of Queen Mary’s new Centre for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence in Education in December 2024. The Centre, inaugurated during the 2024 Global MOOC & Online Education Conference (GMC), held at Queen Mary, reflects the University’s leadership and commitment to the application and ethics of AI in teaching and learning.
The panel discussion featured distinguished speakers from across Asia, the Middle East and the UK, including Professor Dennis Wong of Newcastle University, Professor Dongyang Zhan of Harbin Institute of Technology, Dr Ashraf Al Najdawi of Khalifa University, and Associate Professor Dr Ooi Boon Keat of Management and Science University.
Over the two days of the QS Summit, attendees explored new approaches to shaping emerging trends in global higher education, highlighting their relevance in driving scientific, technological innovation and international collaboration. In addition, leading academics, industry experts, government leaders, and decision-makers shared best practices and reflected on how technology and digital platforms can enhance educational access and quality in China and beyond.
