From April 14 to 15, a delegation led by professor John BELL, deputy vice-chancellor (academic and research), and professor REN Yi, vice-chancellor (international), from the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), visited Lanzhou University (LZU). LZU president YANG Yongping and vice president SHA Yongzhong met with the foreign guests. The two sides held discussions on student enrollment, talent cultivation, and research collaboration under the Sino-foreign cooperative education program.
President YANG welcomed the delegation. He stated that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, higher education cooperation between China and Australia is embracing new opportunities. In the face of global challenges associated with climate change and food security, universities need to build a closer and more pragmatic collaborative network. Over the past decade, the two universities have continuously strengthened mutual trust in areas such as academic exchange and research collaboration, providing solid support for in-depth cooperation. The undergraduate program in Biopharmaceuticals jointly offered by the two universities has elevated their partnership to a new stage of institutionalized and substantive development. LZU is willing to work with UniSQ to explore innovative pathways for higher education to serve the common well-being of humanity, he said.
Vice president SHA noted that on this new starting point, the two universities hope to explore broader and multi-dimensional cooperation. First, they can jointly promote the establishment of a China-Australia Joint Research Center focused on research and innovation in cutting-edge fields. Second, the two sides can jointly cultivate talent by broadening integrated training pathways at all education levels and establishing a comprehensive joint training system. Third, they can facilitate exchanges by developing a mechanism for faculty and students exchange, SHA said.
Professor BELL spoke highly of the achievements in the bilateral cooperation. He stated that UniSQ cherishes its partnership with LZU and will fully commit to the high-quality and sustainable development of the cooperative education program. He hopes to expand practical cooperation at multiple levels in interdisciplinary fields, gradually building a cooperative ecosystem through faculty and student exchanges, sharing of laboratory equipment, and joint research endeavors, so that the two universities become deeply connected partners.
Professor REN looks positively to the future of bilateral cooperation. He noted that guided by China-Australia diplomatic strategies, the two universities should use educational cooperation to continuously deepen people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries. The two universities have successfully co-hosted two “Climate Future and Smart Agriculture” forums, which has become an effective platform for interdisciplinary dialogue. He expressed hope to develop this forum into a signature event, continuously injecting vitality into China-Australia educational cooperation.
During the visit, the delegation toured LZU’s Electron Microscopy Center. They also held discussions with teachers and students at School of Veterinary Medicine and Biosafety. The two sides exchanged views on the operation and management of the Sino-foreign cooperative education program, curriculum integration, and faculty training. Also present were leaders of the university’s Office of International Cooperation and Exchange.
