From November 19 to 26, 2023, Wang Qingyuan, President of Chengdu University (CDU) led a delegation to Germany and UK to foster collaboration by engaging in exchanges with partner organizations and universities.
At the Clausthal University of Technology (TU Clausthal) in Germany, Mr. Wang and his delegation met Sylvia Schattauer , the recently inaugurated President of the university. TU Clausthal is an important partner of CDU, with both institutions sharing a longstanding history of collaboration. Over 30 students from CDU have chosen Germany as their destination for further academic pursuits. In recent years, the scientific research cooperation between the two universities has witnessed a steady enhancement, with the scope and depth of collaborative fields experiencing continuous expansion. Both parties have expressed their commitment to maintaining strong cooperation in joint cultivation programs and further enhancing collaboration in areas such as postdoctoral researcher exchanges, joint doctoral cultivation programs, summer schools, and more in the future.
Accompanied by Thomas Hanschke, former President of TU Clausthal and current Commissioner for China Affairs of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and Michael Zhengmeng Hou , Director of the China Competence Center , the delegation met with more than ten CDU students studying in Germany to learn about their learning and life as well as their accomplishments and feelings in the country. Mr. Wang expressed his concern to the students and stressed that this visit held great significance as it marked the first school delegation of CDU since the onset of the pandemic. He acknowledged that this was a highly anticipated visit. Additionally, Mr. Wang shared the latest development achievements of CDU with these students and encouraged them to study hard and exhibit the esteemed ethos of CDU. He also expressed his wish for each of them to attain commendable academic outcomes and contribute to the motherland.
During his visit to the University of Stirling , Mr. Wang had friendly talks with administrators of the university, including Gerry McCormac , the Principal, Neville Wylie, the Deputy Principal (Internationalization), Leigh Sparks, the Deputy Principal overseeing education and students, and Judith Phillips, the Deputy Principal (Research). Both sides reviewed the exchanges and cooperation between the two universities in the past four years, especially the fruitful achievements of Stirling College in recent years, and expressed their willingness to deepen cooperation.
Mr. McCormac introduced the highlights of the University of Stirling in scientific research, teaching quality system, and student support services. He expressed his desire to facilitate active international collaboration in sustainable urban development while encouraging greater exchange of ideas on local engagement and urban governance.
Mr. Wang expressed his sincere gratitude to the University of Stirling for its warm reception. He underscored that the University of Stirling is not only among CDU's most extensively and comprehensively engaged university partners, but also a longstanding collaborator. The two universities have achieved remarkable milestones in cooperative educational institutions and various academic fields through their partnership at Stirling College of CDU. He mentioned that this was his first visit to the UK since the pandemic, as well as his first visit since the establishment of Stirling College, a collaborative endeavor between the two universities. He expressed his strong desire to enhance the cooperative foundation and promote advanced collaboration in more fields and projects between the two academic institutions.
Kirstie Blair, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Alistair Jump, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, and Jayne Donaldson, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport at the University of Stirling, showcased their college profiles and shared ideas for potential collaborations. Yu Xi, Dean of Stirling College, participated in discussions with the UK side regarding ongoing cooperation projects. They also explored the potential for scientific research collaboration and student exchange programs in fields like artificial intelligence and big data health research. Mr. Yu emphasized that both parties embrace similar concepts and ideas, which paves the way for extensive and profound cooperation opportunities in this new era.
At Oxford Brookes University (OBU), Mr. Wang and his delegation had a meeting with Alistair Fitt, Vice-Chancellor of the university, and Linda King, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Global Partnerships of the university. At the meeting, Mr. Wang gave a detailed introduction to CDU's history, school status and international development vision. He emphasized that this visit greatly heightened mutual understanding between the two universities and specifically facilitated the initiation of the Chengdu Oxford Brookes Vocational and Technical College project. He added that the two universities shared similar school-running concepts and could significantly strengthen extensive cooperation in areas such as curriculum, faculty, scientific research, and more by undertaking joint initiatives like establishing independent legal institutions together.
Linda King provided an elaborate overview of OBU's history, discipline construction, and global strategic planning. She pointed out that OBU is a distinctive comprehensive university in the UK. The university hopes to augment its global influence in teaching, research, and cultural exchanges by establishing enduring international partnerships with other universities, enterprises, and entities. She mentioned that OBU highly valued its collaboration with CDU. She shared her optimistic outlook for the two universities to engage in more profound cooperation and exchanges in cooperative education, talent cultivation, scientific research, and other areas in the coming years. The two sides conducted in-depth discussions and reached a mutual agreement on the crucial aspects of establishing and advancing Chinese-foreign cooperative educational institutions.
CDU is dedicated to fostering consensus, strengthening collaboration, and enhancing its cooperation platform with partners. Its recent visits to Germany and the UK symbolize crucial steps towards actively advancing its internationalization strategy in the new era. These endeavors have made a significant impact on fostering friendly relations, revitalizing and expanding collaboration across various domains, and facilitating exchanges between CDU and universities and academic institutions in Germany and the UK. In the coming years, CDU will actively pursue cooperation with strategic university partners, focusing on joint scientific research, student exchange programs, and teacher exchange visits. Moreover, it will continually explore new avenues and untapped opportunities to propel the building of a first-class application-oriented city university and strengthen morality in cultivating talents.
