President Jacob Zuma was today, 20 July 2012, conferred with the honour of Honorary Professor of International Studies by the Peking University (PKU) in Beijing, in the People’s Republic of China, for his contribution in the sphere of International Relations.
The President was on a working visit to the People’s Republic of China, where he also attended the 5th Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting.
“This conferment is also in recognition of President Zuma’s role in the peaceful resolution of conflicts in Africa and the professorship is an honorary title and does not come with any commitments or obligations for the President,” said the University in a statement.
This is the ninth honorary academic award that the President has received over the years in recognition of his work worldwide. These include the Nelson Mandela Award for Outstanding Leadership in Washington DC, US (1998), and honorary doctorates from University of Fort Hare, University of Zululand, Medical University of Southern Africa, University of Limpopo (2001), University of Zambia (2009), American University of Nigeria, University of Abomey-Calavi of Benin (2011) and Texas Southern University (2011).
Peking University is China’s comprehensive and national key university. The campus, known as "Yan Yuan"（the garden of Yan, is situated at Haidian District in the western suburb of Beijing. It boasts outstanding faculties as well as 53 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 7 members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and 14 members of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).
The University has become a centre for teaching and research and a university of a new type, embracing diverse branches of learning such as basic and applied sciences, social sciences and the humanities, and sciences of medicine, management and education.
Accepting the honour, President Zuma said: “The work of this prestigious institution confirms what we have always known about China being a country inspired by the zest for knowledge through education. We are inspired by the value attached to education in the analects of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, who stressed the importance of education and study as being fundamental to human progress.”
President Zuma accepted the Honorary Professorship on behalf of the Government and the people of South Africa and said he took it as “a symbol of the confidence the Chinese have in South Africa as an emerging country of the South, as well as a partner in the pursuit of a just international order.”
Enquiries:
Mac Maharaj
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E-mail: macamaharaj@mweb.co.za or mediaenquiries@po.gov.za
President Zuma is awarded Honorary Professorship
