The Presidents' Forum this year is "Academic and Administration Authorities in Universities". Participants included 10 heads of the founding member universities: Prof. Qin Shaode, CPC Committee Secretary of Fudan University; President Prof. Yang Wei of Zhejiang University; President Prof. Zhang Jie of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; President Prof. Zheng Nanning of Xi'an Jiaotong University; President Prof. Gu Binglin of Tsinghua University; President Prof. Zhou Qifeng of Peking University; Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tsui Lap-chee of The University of Hong Kong; President Prof. Tony Chan of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Prof. Cheng Chongqing, Vice-President of Nanjing University; Prof. Wah Wan-sang, Provost-Designate of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK); and presidents of the two new member universities: Prof. Hou Jianguo of the University of Science and Technology of China; and Prof. Wang Shuguo of the Harbin Institute of Technology. In the Presidents' Forum, Prof. Wah Wan-sang of CUHK delivered a speech on Higher Education Management in US Universities. Representatives of other member universities also presented speeches on the Forum's theme. Their presentations were followed by a discussion.

The Association of University Presidents of China was founded in November 1997. The objective of the Association is to enhance the academic linkage and to achieve academic excellence. Numerous meetings and forums were held in Shanghai, Hangzhou etc. since the establishment of the Association. Last year's meeting was held in the campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.