To facilitate effective communication and academic collaboration among member universities of the South & Southeast Asian University Network (S&SE Asian UN), the Secretariat implemented the 1st S&SE Asian UN Chair Professorship Program from Nov 22 to Dec 21, 2023.

Distinguished Ambassadors of 2022 were invited to Yunnan University as senior visiting scholars to engage in academic exchanges. They delivered academic lectures, conducted joint research with scholars of YNU, communicated with faculty and students, and participated in activities held by the Secretariat of S&SE Asian UN.

The implementation of the Chair Professorship Program has enhanced mutual understanding among member universities, which has fostered collaboration in areas such as cultural exchange and research cooperation. The two chair professors who participated in the program will continue to promote talent cultivation among the S&SE Asian UN members.

Prof. Dr. Zahid Anwar, Pro Vice Chancellor/Vice President, University of Peshawar, Pakistan

Yunnan University is leaving no stone unturned for strengthening academic collaboration among the universities of South and Southeast Asia. After the establishment of South and Southeast Asian Universities Network despite the pandemic, it has adopted several measures to strengthen cooperation among these universities, which have increased people to people contacts, academic exchanges and joint research initiatives.  In this connection one important step is the launching of Chair Professorship. This has not only galvanized academic cooperation but has also proved a great leap forward to cultural, social and intellectual understanding. It provides an opportunity to outstanding ambassadors to come to China to conduct research, deliver lectures to learned audience at the University, intermingle with people and stay for a month in Kunming, a city of perennial spring. I, as a pioneer Chair Professor personally consider it an honor and privilege and this Chair Professorship helped me to understand Chinese academic environment, culture, customs, traditions, values, system and last but not least aspirations of its young people. I think it is a useful step and it's continuation will pave the way for achieving the goals of the South and Southeast Asian Universities Network. Thank you Yunnan University and the South and Southeast Asian universities Network for providing me with this wonderful opportunity to explore China and contribute to strengthening cooperation among these Universities.

Assoc. Prof. Md Bulbul Ashraf Siddiqi, Department of Political Science and Sociology; Local Director Confucius Institute at North South University

I am Dr Bulbul Siddiqi, an Associate Professor of Anthropology and the Director of the Confucius Institute at NSU, Bangladesh. I have been serving as the Ambassador of the South and South East Asian University Network initiated by Yunnan University since 2020. This is the first time I have attended the annual conference and meeting of the S&SE Asian UN in person after COVID-19. It feels incredibly great to participate in person. I am delighted to receive the Chair Professorship initiated by the network for the first time. It allowed me to work with colleagues from the School of Ethnology and Sociology at YNU. In addition, I met several colleagues from other departments and doctoral students during this period. I exchanged views with young scholars interested in studying the varied topics of Bangladesh and South Asia. During this Chair Professorship, I have effectively initiated collaborative research with my colleagues at YNU. As an anthropologist, I always look forward to meeting new people and learning about culture. This Chair Professorship allowed me to learn about Chinese society and culture in depth. As a young academic, it will surely motivate me to promote the network further. It will also encourage other Ambassadors of the network to contribute positively in future. I wholeheartedly thank the network for initiating this Professorship and offering me this opportunity.