Dear Friends,

The Alliance of Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU) extends our hearts and deepest sympathies to you and the world as we continue to battle the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Faced with unprecedented times, we have many challenges before us and COVID-19 is a test for all. It also provides an opportunity for our governments and people around the world to stand together to fight for the greater good and build a community with a shared future.

Our spirit is unbroken and we remain confident we will win this fight. Our eleven member institutions represent ten countries and a population of over 31 million people in the sister cities represented. With a combined student enrollment of almost 330,000 and 33,000 faculty and academic staff, our great diversity of undergraduate and graduate programs represents the best of the world. Founded upon the mission of enhancing mutual understanding, fostering mutual benefits and promoting cooperation and development, perhaps now more than ever the world needs alliances such as ours.

Our Alliance is proud to host the Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Youth Leadership Forum and Competition this year. This is the first of what we expect to be many outstanding member-wide forums and competitions for the coming years. Under the theme of “Promoting Sustainable Urban Development with Scientific and Technological Innovation”, this forum and competition will develop international cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship education, facilitate communication and mutual sharing of innovative and entrepreneurial resources and build a platform for Alliance member students to solve common global challenges.

Through this forum and competition, further exchanges and interaction in personnel, scientific research, transfer of international knowledge, and youth innovation and entrepreneurship among our sister cities will be achieved. In addition, opportunities for Alliance students to further study, communicate and improve will be provided with attractive policies and services for investment, financing, talent settlement and industrial incubation will be offered to outstanding project teams.

As some Alliance members and their regions thankfully begin to realize successful progress, we recognize our members are faced with a variety of priorities and challenges as COVID-19 impacts each of us differently After thorough consultation with our members, we therefore postponed the In-School Preliminary Competitions to be completed by the end of July rather than April 30. We have also postponed the online Semi-Final Competition to be held in late August rather than early May. The Final Competition will still be held in late October. As we continue to cautiously move forward with this forum and competition, safety remains first as we do everything possible to protect our family of students, faculty and staff.

Our Alliance also continues to encourage collaborative efforts for teams interested in the additional possibility of being invited to participate in the provincial semi-final of the 6th China International "Internet +" College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition held in Guangzhou in July and the national final of the 6th China International "Internet +" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. The deadline for these additional competitions is in early May. We believe these additional competitions provide great opportunities and publicity for our students and Alliance members and our Secretariat Office will work with these interested members separately.

Our Alliance shares a unique partnership and a special bond of friendship. In the middle of the worst storm, it is the voice of these friends which mean so much. Our members and the sister-cities they represent will stand together to hopefully soon help reach an effective end to COVID-19. Our cities, countries and the world will overcome these challenges and win this battle. Together, we will emerge closer and stronger.

To learn more about our Alliance and how we might be of any possible support and assistance, please contact Steve Farr, Director of International Projects for the Secretariat Office of the Alliance of Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities, by email @ steve.farr@gzhu.edu.cn