PRETORIA, South Africa, Oct. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — 2024 marks the 26th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, celebrating a successful partnership and looking ahead to future opportunities. UnionPay International plays a crucial role in strengthening China-South African relations by enhancing payment experiences for Chinese tourists.

From September 9 to 13, 2024, the South African Tourism Board was hosting a series of industry roadshows in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. These events featured 45 South African tourism establishments engaging directly with nearly 400 tour operators in the three cities. As the payment partner, UnionPay International has showcased the advantages of UnionPay cards for international transactions.

Over the past 26 years, the tourism and economic collaboration between China and South Africa has flourished. South Africa’s distinctive landscapes and rich biodiversity have increasingly attracted Chinese tourists. In 2023, the number of Chinese tourists surged by 215.7% year-on-year, making it one of the fastest-growing markets. From January to March 2024, international arrivals in South Africa reached 2.4 million, a 15.4% increase from the previous year, with Chinese visitor numbers growing by 82%. Major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen have seen significant increases in outbound tourism to South Africa.

“South African Tourism is set to unveil ‘Discover South Africa’s New Charms’ in 2024, targeting the Chinese market with a focus on sustainable tourism and unique experiences. The campaign aims to introduce lesser-known destinations and activities, highlighting South Africa’s diverse ecosystems and cultural richness,” said Mr. Gcobani Mancotywa, SA Tourism Regional General Manager: Asia-Pacific and Middle East, he emphasised strengthening industry partnerships and a comprehensive content strategy to promote tourism recovery.

The South African Tourism Board aims to attract over 50,000 Chinese tourists in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, with hopes of returning to 2019 tourism levels by 2026. UnionPay cards are integral for Chinese tourists traveling to South Africa. With a global acceptance network spanning 183 countries and regions, UnionPay cards offer versatile payment options, including cash withdrawals, card payments, QR code payments, and mobile payments. In South Africa, 90% of merchant POS terminals accept UnionPay cards, allowing tourists to use their cards conveniently without needing to exchange currency beforehand.

To make overseas spending more attractive, UnionPay International has partnered with major Chinese banks to offer cash-back and discount promotions. UnionPay cardholders from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications, and China Merchants Bank can receive up to 12% cash-back benefits, enhancing the cost-effectiveness and convenience of using UnionPay cards abroad.

As a leading African destination for Chinese tourists, South Africa is committed to providing a secure, convenient, and rewarding payment experience through UnionPay card usage. Whether in vibrant cities or scenic areas, UnionPay cards enhance travel comfort and convenience.

The South African Tourism Board believes that the Chinese market will be pivotal in reviving South Africa’s tourism industry and achieving its goal of welcoming 21 million international tourists by 2030. UnionPay International is enthusiastic about this ongoing collaboration, driving growth in tourism and economic relations between China and South Africa, and offering an improved travel experience for tourists around the world.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/unionpay-international-enhances-cross-border-payment-experience-for-chinese-tourists-traveling-to-south-africa-302274055.html

Head of Education, Sandra Liu Huang, announces three new grants focused on increasing collaboration between teachers and edtech developers

ANAHEIM, Calif., Oct. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) today announced three grants supporting artificial intelligence (AI) education initiatives to empower educators as co-creators of future technologies. The announcement came during a visit to Dale Junior High School in the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD), where CZI Head of Education and VP of Product, Sandra Liu Huang spent the day learning about the impact of educator-informed artificial intelligence tools in the classroom.

“Educator input is crucial for ensuring AI tools in education are contextually relevant, accurate, and aligned with learning,” says Huang. “By integrating educators’ expertise, we can design AI systems that enhance student outcomes and support tailored learning experiences.”

A prime case study for the impact of building with educators

AUHSD has developed, trained teachers on, and implemented new technologies that leverage artificial intelligence. These AI tools, co-created with the nonprofit eKadence Learning Foundation, help teachers efficiently develop projects aligned with the district’s priorities for teaching and learning. As a result, students receive timely support on their projects, and school leaders have access to real-time data on the progress students and teachers are making. 

Huang visited Dale Junior High School to observe how AI tools are helping teachers develop personalized, asset-based learning experiences tailored to each student. AI is also providing students targeted feedback to help them stay on track with projects that demonstrate their learning. During the visit, Sandra learned more about the development of these tools – including how previous CZI support to University of California, Irvine funded the development of a dashboard that helps educators understand students’ progress in life skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and communication, while also fostering youth voice and technical skills. Anaheim teachers also shared ways they’re helping co-build additional features that respond to challenges in the classroom.

Co-creating future technologies

CZI’s in-person learning is just one of several ways that the organization is seeking educator input on new AI products and resources that can help unlock student potential. Their work in artificial intelligence includes co-building AI tech tools with educators to address everyday classroom and school challenges. The grants announced by Huang during her visit seek to help build the education field’s infrastructure and capacity to support teachers and education leaders in being able to play an active role in the development of AI products and resources, ensuring they can influence the tools designed to help them. 

The grants will support:

Education First — to deeply engage with school district teams, helping build their capacity to make decisions around AI adoption. They will also publish resources and findings that address district readiness and priorities, helping the broader education field implement AI tools effectively.International Society for Technology (ISTE) — in piloting a national research and development infrastructure initiative that will enable their 90,000 educator members to co-design edtech. This work aims to ensure alignment with district administrators, ultimately fostering a sustainable model that reduces barriers to integrating practitioner insights into the edtech R&D process, while also elevating educators’ awareness and interest in engaging in edtech R&D.Leanlab Education — to expand its educator and district co-design infrastructure that brings together K-12 educators and edtech developers. Through a deep partnership with more than 400 educators in 20 districts, they will refine processes for ongoing feedback, working to enable the creation of educational tools that are both pedagogically sound and tailored to classroom needs.

CZI is working to build education tools that integrate high-quality research, practices, and content to help address chronic educator challenges and unlock the full potential of every student, no matter who they are or where they live. For more information about how CZI and our grant partners are supporting student and teacher well-being, visit chanzuckerberg.com/education/.

About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our communities. Through collaboration, providing resources and building technology, our mission is to help build a more inclusive, just and healthy future for everyone. For more information, please visit chanzuckerberg.com.

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SOURCE Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

SINGAPORE, Oct. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Since its official launch in 2024, Jumpex Cryptocurrency Exchange has been committed to providing high-quality trading services to a global community of traders. Over the past few months, Jumpex Cryptocurrency Exchange has played a positive role in enabling seamless cryptocurrency trades and futures transactions. However, due to evolving market conditions and regulatory changes, the company has made the difficult decision to permanently close its operations on November 30, 2024.

As part of this process, all futures and spot trading positions on the platform will be closed on October 17, 2024. From this date forward, the platform will only retain the withdrawal function. This function will be available until the final closure date of November 30, 2024. During this period, Jumpex Cryptocurrency Exchange will remain fully operational to facilitate user withdrawals, and their customer service team will continue to offer professional support to assist users throughout this transition.

Jumpex Cryptocurrency Exchange extends its sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may cause its users and appreciates the continued trust and support shown over the years. The team remains hopeful that will meet again in the future under better circumstances.

For further inquiries or assistance, users are encouraged to reach out to Jumpex’s customer service team.

This announcement marks the official closure of Jumpex Cryptocurrency Exchange.

About Jumpex

Jumpex Cryptocurrency Exchange was established in 2024 to provide traders worldwide with a secure and reliable platform for cryptocurrency trading. Since then, it has built a reputation for offering professional futures and spot trading services. The platform’s commitment to user experience, safety, and customer service has been at the core of its success. Quickly gained recognition for its focus on high-leverage trading and innovative solutions, offering traders a secure platform with excellent customer service.

For more information, please visit Jumpex.com or contact their support team.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jumpex-cryptocurrency-exchange-announces-permanent-closure-of-platform-by-november-30-2024-302273897.html

SOURCE Jumpex