From October 21-22, 2025, a delegation from the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town (UCT), led by Dean Faizel Ismail, visited the School of Government at Nanjing University (NJU) to further academic and institutional cooperation.

On the afternoon of October 21, the delegation was welcomed by Dean Haibo Zhang, Deputy Dean Qianyou Zhang, Xiaosheng Chen, and other faculty members of the School of Government. The meeting began with a presentation on the recent progress made by NJU in areas such as research, talent development, and international exchange. Dean Zhang highlighted the ongoing foundation for collaboration, pointing to Deputy Dean Chen’s participation in the “Strengthening Africa-China Partnerships for Africa's Transformation” Conference in September, which had helped establish mutual trust between both institutions.

In response, Dean Faizel Ismail shared UCT’s research and development priorities, emphasizing the university’s focus on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), regional integration across Africa, and climate change. He also noted the institution’s commitment to graduate education and training for government officials. Dean Ismail praised China’s expertise in governance and NJU’s strengths in comparative politics and public policy, expressing UCT’s enthusiasm for deepening the collaboration between the two institutions.

Following these institutional overviews, the two sides engaged in detailed discussions on tangible areas of cooperation. They reached agreements on several initiatives, including joint research on green energy and climate governance, the exploration of graduate exchange programs, and alternating hosting duties for the “Strengthening Africa-China Partnerships for Africa's Transformation” forum. To mark the successful meeting, Dean Zhang presented a commemorative gift to Dean Ismail.

To further foster academic exchange, Dean Ismail delivered a lecture on the morning of October 22, titled “Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through a Developmental Regionalism Approach? An Opportunity to strengthen the partnership between China and Africa”. In his address, Dean Ismail praised China’s significant achievements in economic development and technological innovation, and called for strengthened cooperation between Africa and China to address pressing global challenges. The lecture was followed by a dynamic interactive session where Dean Ismail engaged with NJU faculty and students, sparking lively discussions on Africa-China cooperation and global governance.