30.06.2025 / APACCCEEC and Shandong Agricultural University successfully conducted the 2025 Council Meeting of China-CEEC Modern Agricultural Science and Education Innovation Alliance
On June 25, 2025, the Annual Meeting and Council Meeting of the China-CEEC Modern Agricultural Science and Education Innovation Alliance was grandly opened in Sofia. Focusing on the theme of “Deepening the Integration of Science, Industry and Education for Shared Sustainable Development”, this meeting brought together representatives from government departments, universities, research institutions and well-known enterprises of China and CEEC, jointly planning a new blueprint for modern agricultural science and education cooperation.
Leaders attending the opening ceremony and delivering speeches included: Dr. Lozana Vasileva, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Bulgaria; Mrs. Wang Min, Chargé d`Affaires of the Embassy of China in Bulgaria; Mr. Lin Haibin, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Province; Mr. Nabil Gangi, Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, FAO–UN; Mr. Yu Yongde, Level I Inspector Shandong Provincial Department of Agriculture Rural Affairs, China; Dr. Momchil Stanishev, Director of the Association for the Promotion of Agricultural Cooperation between China and the Central and Eastern European countries (APACCCEEC); and Mr. Zhang Jianjun, Vice Mayor of Liaocheng City, Shandong Province. They warmly congratulated on the convening of the meeting, unanimously emphasizing the strategic significance of deepening agricultural science and education cooperation in ensuring regional food security and promoting sustainable development. They hoped that the Alliance would continue to explore new paths and inject new momentum into the agricultural opening-up and cooperation between China and CEEC.
Prof. Leng Changjian, Secretary-General of the Alliance and President of Shandong Agricultural University, delivered the annual work report of the Alliance. He introduced the fruitful achievements made by the Alliance in agricultural scientific and technological innovation, technology transfer, personnel exchanges and think tank development and construction over the past year since its establishment. He stated that these achievements truly reflected the wisdom and strength contributed by all member institutions of the Alliance to the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism with practical actions. China and CEEC have comparative and technical advantages in agricultural equipment, smart agriculture, agricultural biotechnology, sustainable agriculture and other fields. He hoped that all member institutions would deepen people-to-people exchanges and mutual trust, strengthen agricultural scientific and technological cooperation, provide feasible solutions, make new and greater contributions to the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism.
At the opening ceremony, the “China-CEEC Digital Agriculture Innovation Platform” was officially established, the Sofia Initiative：Artificial Intelligence Promotes Agricultural Science, Technology and Education was officially released, the Institute for Sustainable Development and Prosperity “Arté” of North Macedonia became a new member of the Alliance. Shandong Agricultural University and APACCCEEC signed Memorandum of Understanding.
During the meeting, the Forum on International Collaborative Innovation & Development in Industry-University-Research, the Forum on Artificial Intelligence & Agricultural Education, the Seminar on the “China–CEEC Digital Agriculture Innovation Platform”, and the Seminar on China—CEEC Research Center for Agricultural Food Safety and Health were held. Academician Georgios Nychas from the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece; Li Yuxiao, Chairman of China Kingenta Group; Ildikó Matušíková, Vice-Rector of the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Slovakia; and Prof. Peng Futian and Prof. Yang Yuechao from Shandong Agricultural University shared practical cases on technology transfer and school-enterprise cooperation. Chinese and foreign experts such as Academician George Papadakis of Academy of Europe, Prof. Adam Wase from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Poland, and Prof. Wang Zhijun from Shandong Agricultural University deeply discussed the application of smart agricultural technologies and data sharing mechanisms. Karolina Pawlak, Vice-Rector of the Poznań University of Life Sciences in Poland; Professor Zhao Xiangyu from Shandong Agricultural University; Zhao Bo from Xinfa group; Associate Professor Wang Wenhua from Tarim University and doctoral student representatives focused on AI reshaping the agricultural talent training model. Academician Ferenc Ákos Mesterházy from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Prof. Li Feng and Prof. Wu Jiajie from Shandong Agricultural University jointly discussed scientific research cooperation on food safety and the development of healthy agriculture.
China-CEEC Modern Agricultural Science and Education Innovation Alliance is an important measure to implement the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism. Initiated by Shandong Agricultural University, the Alliance is an international, non-profit, open multilateral cooperation platform jointly established by 65 institutions including agricultural universities, research institutions and enterprises from China and CEEC. Following the five principles of “Openness and sharing, Equal consultation, Innovation-driven, Cultural integration, and Win-win cooperation”, the Alliance makes full use of the high-quality education, technology, talent and enterprise resources of the modern agricultural industries between China and CEEC, gives play to their respective advantages, builds a normalized exchange and cooperation platform for universities, research institutions and enterprise, jointly promotes agricultural scientific and technological innovation, talent training and agricultural sustainable development, and actively contributes to the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism in the field of modern agriculture.
