Tropical universities to convene in Hainan to discuss higher education future

The League of Tropical Universities will hold its 2025 summit in Haikou, Hainan province, from April 13 to 16, bringing together international representatives to discuss the future of higher education in tropical regions.

The summit will focus on themes of dialogue and shared benefits and feature forums on international digital education, high-efficiency tropical agriculture, whole health, cultural exchange and green development. Attendees include government officials, diplomats and representatives from the LTU members, UNESCO and the ASEAN-China Centre.

Key announcements at the summit will include the LTU White Paper, a collection of tech transfer projects and new scholarship programs for international students. An international summer school and a youth cultural exchange initiative will also debut alongside the establishment of an institute for the study of civilizations and mutual learning in China.

"In response to global issues such as climate change in tropical regions and food security, the league will promote interdisciplinary and cross-border collaborative research, bringing together diverse expertise to share research findings, accelerate technology transfer and application, and drive the deep integration of industry, academia and research," said Luo Qingming, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Hainan University, at a press conference in Haikou on Tuesday.

As the inaugural rotating chair and permanent secretariat, Hainan University has signed 34 agreements with 27 member institutions to cultivate globally competitive professionals and advance agricultural modernization through technology transfer.

In a bid to address pressing sustainable development challenges in the tropics, the LTU was launched in November 2023, bringing together 101 universities and research institutes from 41 countries and regions, including Egypt, Malaysia and Brazil. The alliance aims to strengthen collaboration in education, research and cultural exchange to boost socioeconomic progress in tropical regions.

According to a 2022 UN report, the tropics?— spanning 109 countries and regions?— account for 39.8 percent of the world's landmass, house 3.37 billion inhabitants, host 54 percent of renewable water resources, and support 80 percent of global biodiversity. The LTU is expected to harness this potential, turning unique regional resources into sustainable growth.