On October 31, 2009, ACGS International Forum (2009), the first international forum of the Association of Chinese Graduate Schools(ACGS）, was held in Xi'an, the ancient city of China. The theme of this international forum was "International Cooperation in Graduate Education - Exploration and Innovation". Debra W. Stewart, President of the Council of Graduate Schools of the United States, and Malcom, President of the UK Council for Graduate Education, were invited by Zhou Qifeng, Secretary General of the Joint Council of Deans of Graduate Schools of China. Debra W. Stewart, President of the Council of Graduate Schools of the United States; Malcom McCrae, President of the UK Council for Graduate Education; Jean Chambaz, President of the European University Association-Council for Doctoral Education; and Jean Chambaz, President of the Australian Council for Graduate Education. Jean Chambaz, Chair of the European University Association-Council for Doctoral Education, Maxwell King, Convenor of the Association of Chinese Graduate Schools(ACGS）and Directors of Graduate Studies in Australia, and representatives from France, Germany, Australia, Singapore and Australia. They discussed the opportunities and challenges of graduate education in the context of globalization, and explored new ways and mechanisms for international cooperation in global graduate education together with Association of Chinese Graduate Schools(ACGS）. Leaders of this forum included Guo Xinli, Deputy Director of Academic Degrees Office of the State Council and Deputy Director of the Department of Degree Management and Graduate Education of the Ministry of Education, and Liu Jinghui, Secretary General of the China Scholarship Council. Vice Minister of Education Chen Xi sent a congratulatory speech to this forum. Relevant leading comrades of Shaanxi Provincial Education Department and Degree Office also attended the forum.

　　Guo Xinli, deputy director of the Academic Degrees Office of the State Council, delivered a congratulatory speech on behalf of Chen Xi, vice minister of the Ministry of Education, extending a warm welcome and sincere thanks to the guests attending the forum and expressing his heartfelt respect to the friends who support the international cooperation and exchange of graduate education in the context of globalization. In his congratulatory speech, Vice Minister Chen Xi fully affirmed the important role played by international exchanges and cooperation to the flourishing development of higher education in China. He further pointed out that in the era of economic globalization, postgraduate education brings together and inherits the highest scientific and cultural achievements of all human beings, and has become the power source of knowledge innovation, and international exchange and cooperation is the inevitable way for the future development of postgraduate education. Vice Minister Chen Xi called on all countries to join hands to face the new problems, new developments and new requirements of international postgraduate education, and jointly usher in a brighter future of cooperation and exchange of postgraduate education in the world. Deputy Director Guo Xinli also reported a series of achievements of Chinese graduate education and introduced the work of "China Doctoral Quality Survey".

　　Ms. Debra W. Stewart, President of the Council of Graduate Schools of the United States, gave a report on the theme of "The Future of Global Graduate Education - Competition, Cooperation and Excellence". She talked about the current issues and future trends of global graduate education from three aspects: competition, cooperation and excellence, taking the current situation of graduate education in the United States as an example. She talked about "the practice and development trend of international cooperation in global graduate education", "the mobility of international students and scholars and international cooperation in academic research", "graduate education and human resource needs in the context of globalization", and "degree programs in various countries". Jean Chambaz, Chairman of the Doctoral Education Committee of European University Union, reported on "Global Challenges of Doctoral Education from a European Perspective", and Yang Wei, President of Zhejiang University and Dean of Graduate School, reported on "Global Challenges of Doctoral Education from a European Perspective". The President of Zhejiang University and Dean of Graduate School Yang Wei reported on "Four Ways of Internationalization: The Case of Zhejiang University", Malcom McCrae, President of British Association for Graduate Education, reported on "Trends of Doctoral Education in the UK", Maxwell King, Convenor of Australian Council of Deans and Directors of Graduate Education, reported on "The Development Trend of Doctoral Education in India". Maxwell King, Convenor of the Australian Council of Deans and Directors of Graduate Education, reported on "The New Joint Doctorate between IIT Bombay and Monash University", Ms. Christine Keitel-Kreidt, Vice President of Freie Universität Berlin, reported on "The MINT Faculty Program and Graduate Education at the Free University of Berlin's Durham Research School", and William B. Russel, Dean of the Graduate School of Princeton University, reported on "From Princeton University's Graduate School". Russel reported on "Graduate Education in the United States from the Perspective of Princeton", Richard Strugnell, Vice President of the University of Melbourne, reported on "Adding Skills Training to Doctoral Education", Tan Thiam Soon, Vice Provost of the National University of Singapore, reported on "Graduate Education in the Context of Globalization", and Wu Xiaoqiu, Executive Dean of the Graduate School of Renmin University of China, reported on "Graduate Education in the Context of Globalization". Wu Xiaoqiu, Executive Vice President of Graduate School of Renmin University of China, reported on "China's Economy and Talent Cultivation"; Fred L. Hall, Dean of Graduate School of University of Calgary, reported on "Quality Assurance System of Graduate Education in Canada"; Yip Ka On, former Dean of Graduate School of University of Hong Kong, reported on "Quality Assurance System of Graduate Education in Hong Kong University"; Cheng Guang Xu, Vice President of Xi'an Jiaotong University, reported on "Exploration and Practice of Improving the Quality of Graduate Education". Exploration and Practice of Improving the Quality of Graduate Education", and Liu Jinghui, Secretary General of China Scholarship Council, reported on "International Cooperation in Graduate Education - Student Mobility and Close Cooperation".

　　Academician Zhou Qifeng, Secretary General of the Association of Chinese Graduate Schools(ACGS）and President of Peking University and Dean of Graduate School, made a forum speech entitled "Internationalization of Graduate Education in China - Exploration and Reflections", and presented to the international colleagues in the field of graduate education from four aspects: China's degree system, quality assurance system of graduate training, academic ethics and academic standards, and international cooperation and exchange. He introduced the development status of Chinese postgraduate education systematically to the international colleagues in the field of postgraduate education. On behalf of all the deans of the Joint Council of Deans of Graduate Schools of China, Academician Zhou Qifeng also expressed his heartfelt thanks to the guests who came all the way to China to attend this international forum and share their valuable experiences, and presented them with gifts with Chinese characteristics. Academician Zhou Qifeng hoped that with this international forum as an opportunity, colleagues engaged in graduate education from all regions, countries and universities around the world would join hands to further strengthen mutual exchanges and cooperation, so that the global graduate education can make greater contributions to the civilization, progress and development of all mankind.

　　ACGS International Forum (2009) is the first international forum on graduate education held by the Association of Chinese Graduate Schools(ACGS）, and the first one in the history of graduate education in China. It was hosted by Association of Chinese Graduate Schools(ACGS）, organized by Xi'an Jiaotong University and co-organized by Peking University, Nanjing University and Xiamen University. The holding of the International Forum is of positive significance to promote the in-depth communication, exchange and cooperation of graduate education between China and the international community.

Photo highlights of the International Forum:

Photograph: Qu Yizhen

Editor: Qu Yizhen      Liao Xiaoling

Secretariat of ACGS

November 5th, 2009