The Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Science and Innovation congratulates, the Minister of Higher Education Science and Innovation, Professor (Dr) Blade Nzimande on his conferral of an honorary Professorship by the Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) in Beijing, In his acceptance speech, Minister Prof Nzimande said he was deeply honored and most grateful for this singular honor bestowed upon him by such a prestigious institution.
“Professor YU Zujun, President of Beijing Jiaotong University and dear colleagues, it is with the greatest humility, cognizant of the significance of the award, and with gratitude for China’s friendship and support throughout my career, that I am privileged to accept the Honorary Professorship”, said Minister Nzimande. Minister Nzimande said that he regards this award as further evidence of the enduring friendship between South Africa and China, a strategic partnership, in which the Beijing Jiaotong University, could play an even more important role.
Over the past 120 years, Beijing Jiaotong University has developed a comprehensive and coordinated education system with strong disciplines in information and management, characteristic disciplines in transportation, and other diversified disciplines such as engineering, management, economics, science, liberal arts, law, and philosophy. The Beijing Jiaotong University's position in international rankings of world-leading universities and disciplines is steadily on the rise, maintaining its top 500 positions in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).
BJTU has always attached high importance to talent cultivation, the core of the university's operation and mission. The university carried out academic reform and construction with great results, raising innumerable talents for CHINA and its industry. Currently, the university has 16,888 undergraduate students, 2,763 doctoral students, 9,933 master's students, and 3,389 adult college students. The total amount of international exchange students amounts to 1,142. The university insists on creating synergy between its undergraduate and master programs, integration and fusion between disciplines, a close relationship between industry and university, and international connectivity. Professor (Dr) Bonginkosi Emmanuel "Blade" Nzimande was appointed as Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 30 May 2019.
He was Minister of Transport from 27 February 2018 to 25 May 2019. He was the Minister of Higher Education and Training from 26 May 2014 until 17 October 2017. He is the Chairperson of the South African Communist Party (SACP); the former chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education; former deputy chair of the Central Committee of the South African Communist Party; and former chairperson of the Financial Sector Campaign Coalition.
