A DELEGATION led by Universities Australia (UA), the national association for Australian universities, started a five-day visit to China yesterday for pivotal talks aimed at revitalizing education and research partnerships, with clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and technology cooperation topping the agenda.

The delegation will visit Beijing and Shenzhen. In Shenzhen, the delegates are scheduled to meet with leading tech companies, including electric-vehicle heavyweight BYD and leading global developer of medical devices and solutions Mindray.

Carolyn Evans, UA chair, described the mission as one of the most significant Australian higher-education delegations in years.

A key highlight of the visit will be the inaugural Australia-China Leaders Dialogue, held alongside the renewal of the Universities Australia-China Education Association for International Exchange Memorandum of Understanding.

China is Australia’s leading source of international students, accounting for 23% of all international students in Australia in the first half of this year, according to government data.                                             (Xinhua)