(L-R) President of Xiangtan University, Professor Liao Yong’an and UWC Professor Robert Balfour at the official signing of the MOU in December 2025. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has strengthened its international academic partnerships with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Xiangtan University in China. It formalises collaboration between the two institutions’ law faculties and advances academic exchange between China and Africa.

The partnership was the brainchild of UWC’s Registrar, Dr Nita Lawton-Misra.

The MOU was signed during the official delegation visit of Xiangtan University to UWC, which took place within the framework of the China-Africa Group of Law Forum. The agreement provides a platform for cooperation in comparative legal research, joint academic initiatives, and faculty, student, and staff exchange programmes.

Welcoming the delegation, UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Balfour, reaffirmed UWC’s commitment to the common good and the public good, highlighting the national standing and justice-oriented focus of the Faculty of Law.

“UWC is well known for its commitment to the common good and the public good. Our Faculty of Law is especially well regarded in South Africa for its research excellence and its commitment to equity and social justice,” said Professor Balfour. He highlighted the work of the Dullah Omar Institute, other specialised research units, and endowed chairs as central to the faculty’s mission.

Prof Balfour said the visit, supported by colleagues from the Faculty of Law and UWC’s International Relations Office, including the Confucius Institute, created an opportunity for meaningful engagement and future-oriented collaboration.

“It is not every day that we have the privilege of hosting the President of a university,” he said. “We were especially pleased to welcome the Xiangtan University delegation and to provide a space for constructive academic engagement.”

The delegation from Xiangtan University with UWC Rector and Vice Chancellor Prof Robert Balfour, Dr Umesh Bawa and Dr Nita Lawton-Misra. Image: Shelley Christians/ UWC

President of Xiangtan University, Professor Liao Yong’an, through a translator, committed his institution’s growth through strengthening China-Africa educational cooperation.

“Following China’s reform and opening up in 1978, we established a research institute that laid the foundation for our development. Today, Xiangtan University has approximately 44 000 students, including 33 000 undergraduate and 11 000 postgraduate students, with seven disciplines ranked among the world’s top,” he said.

Prof Yong’an further emphasised the strategic importance of Xiangtan University in Hunan Province, noting that the province served as a pilot zone for China’s economic and trade development and hosted a permanent economic and trade exposition.

“Our goal is to promote cooperation and enhance the relationship between China and Africa in education. This is why we convene meaningful platforms such as the China Africa Law Deans Conference,” he said.

UWC Director of Institutional Advancement, Dr Umesh Bawa, highlighted the strong alignment between the two institutions and the strategic value of the partnership.

“There are really strong synergies between our universities in terms of the work we do and the expertise we bring. UWC has well-established relationships with Chinese counterparts, and we believe strongly in collaboration and working together for the greater good,” he said.

Dr Bawa said Xiangtan University’s strength in African law, combined with UWC’s deep engagement across the continent, presents a valuable opportunity for joint work on an Africa-focused strategy.

He further highlighted UWC’s newly developed Southeast Asia Research Centre (SEARC) internationalisation strategy, which prioritises engagement with Southern and East Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region, including key partners such as India and China. “Through this strategy, we are intentionally building relationships of depth and quality with Chinese institutions,” said Dr Bawa. 

Prof Balfour expressed optimism that the MOU would lead to sustained academic collaboration beyond the visit. “We are hopeful that this agreement will result not only in cooperation in the present moment, but also in a shared understanding of how faculty and student exchanges can be implemented in the future,” he said. “Our Dean and colleagues in the Faculty of Law will take these discussions forward.”