Pak-China strengthen strategic cooperation in Marine Science

BEIJING, July 16 (APP): Dalian Ocean University (DLOU) of China and Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS) of Pakistan recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a pivotal milestone for bilateral cooperation in marine science and education.

Building upon this institutional foundation, the two countries should roll out pragmatic and targeted initiatives to advance substantive collaboration across marine academic and research domains.

This was stated by Prof Cheng Xizhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute, a non-governmental Chinese think-tank on diplomacy and international studies based in Beijing.

First, consolidate long-term academic partnership and talent cultivation mechanisms. The two universities could establish sustained faculty and student exchange schemes and launch joint training programs for undergraduate and postgraduate marine majors.

DLOU was well-positioned to provide systematic curriculum guidance, professional academic instruction and high-quality internship platforms for Pakistani researchers and students. Complementarily, LUAWMS can offer exclusive local research resources and field investigation access to the Arabian Sea, jointly cultivating high-caliber interdisciplinary marine talents to support the development of both nations, he said.

Second, conduct goal-oriented joint marine scientific research. The two academic institutions can form interdisciplinary joint research teams to focus on core maritime research areas, including coastal ecological remediation, sustainable mariculture, marine environmental monitoring, as well as marine disaster early warning and risk prevention. Both parties can jointly apply for bilateral and international research grants, share first-hand field survey data and innovative research outcomes, and tackle key ecological and industrial bottlenecks constraining the development of the bilateral marine economy.

Third, construct a long-term integrated platform for marine education and research collaboration. The two universities can co-develop online marine science courses and exclusive academic exchange platforms to share premium teaching resources, specialized textbooks and authoritative research publications. In addition, hosting annual bilateral marine science seminars can facilitate in-depth exchanges of cutting-edge research progress, broaden the academic horizons of researchers and students, and promote the high-quality and innovative development of marine disciplines in both countries.

Fourth, promote in-depth industry-university integration and collaborative industrial development. By aligning academic research outcomes with practical demands of the marine industry, the two universities can deliver professional technical training for local practitioners engaged in mariculture production and marine ecological conservation. The translational application of advanced academic research into industrial technologies can effectively drive marine industrial upgrading and foster the sustainable and high-quality development of bilateral marine economic cooperation, he concluded.