At the dusk of August 13, the delegation led by Chen Shiyi, President of Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), wrapped up the compact and fruitful visit to the UK and returned to SUSTech in Shenzhen. In the five-day visit, the delegation visited five British universities: University of Warwick (UoW), University of Birmingham (UoB), University of Leeds (UoL), University of East Anglia (UEA) and University of Surrey (UoS). The two sides signed cooperative agreements, exchanged ideas on deepening cooperation and promoting common development, and forged longstanding friendship.

At the universities, the delegation was warmly received by the executives and academic teams of the universities, and signed four cooperative agreements on doctor training and two memorandums on all-round cooperation. Under the agreements, SUSTech will enroll and select outstanding students for doctoral programs at UoW, UoB, UoL and UEA. Under the model of cooperation and double tutors, doctoral candidates will study at the universities for one year or two and at SUSTech for the rest of the time, being instructed by tutors from both sides. Besides, the two sides are expected to carry out all-round and in-depth cooperation in fields such as research, undergraduate and doctoral education, and staff exchange.

 During the visit, Chen showed the universities SUSTech’s determination to implement the strategy of education globalization and develop rapidly. He praised the universities’ unique historical deposits, achievements and advantages, adding that SUSTech has inherent innovation gene and courage to reform as a young university in Shenzhen, a legendary innovative city in China. He expected the increasing close cooperation with the university to constantly produce new sparks of thought and achieve fruitful results in more fields.

Porf. Tang Tao, SUSTech’s Vice President for Research; Prof. Zheng Chunmiao, Dean of the School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Prof. Zhang Xumu, Dean of the Department of Chemistry; Prof. Rong Yiming, Dean of the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering accompanied Chen for the visit. They discussed the construction and development of engineering and science disciplines, the cross cooperation in corresponding disciplines and other issues, introduced SUSTech’s disciplines, and made academic presentations on chemical and environmental disciplines, thereby practically promoting the substantive cooperation in teaching research.

Apart from the signing ceremony, seminars and academic presentations, the delegation also took time from their busy schedule to visit the characteristic campuses, teaching buildings, laboratories, dormitories, museums and other structures of the universities, making a comparative study on Phase 2 campus construction of SUSTech. These structures include the National Automotive Research Centre being constructed by UoW’s Warwick Manufacturing Group, UoB’s Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education and China Institute, UoL’s Water@Leeds and Sustainable Garden, UEA’s Art Museum and Enterprise Centre, UoS’ Surrey Space Centre, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 5G Innovation Centre and Surrey Research Park, etc.

The visit coincided with the summer program attended by SUSTech’s students at University of Oxford (Oxford). On the afternoon of August 11, the delegation headed to Oxford to see the surprised students. They exchanged ideas with the students on the experiences of study and research during a warm dinner. Wang Jiale, an outstanding alumnus of SUSTech and a doctoral candidate at the Department of Material Sciences and Engineering, Oxford, attended the dinner.

Photo 1 President Chen Shiyi has a photo with Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of UoW after the signing ceremony

Photo 2 The delegation led by President Chen Shiyi has afternoon tea with Vice-Chancellor & President Stuart Croft, Provost Christine Ennew and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Lawrence Young of UoW; Nigel Stocks, Head of the School of Engineering; Martin Wills, Professor of Organic Chemistry; James Kennedy, Director of Global Engagement; and other executives of UoW

Photo 3President Chen Shiyi signs the Doctor Training Agreement between Southern University of Science and Technology and University of Birmingham with Sir David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor of UoB

Photo 4 The delegation led by President Chen Shiyi holds a roundtable meeting with UoB’s executives, including Jon Rowe, Director of Research, College of Engineering and Physical Science; Jon Preece, Head of School of Chemistry; Duncan Shepherd, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering; Prof. Yao Xin of the School of Computer Science; the Director of Global Engagement, etc.

Photo 5 The delegation led by President Chen Shiyi has a photo with Jon Frampton, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor (China) and Director of the China Institute; and other executives of UoB

Photo 6 President Chen Shiyi signs the Doctor Training Agreement between Southern University of Science and Technology and University of Leeds and the Memorandum of Cooperation between Southern University of Science and Technology and University of Leeds with Lisa Roberts, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UoL

Photo 7 Prof. Rong Yiming talks with Peter Jimack, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Richard Hall, Director of Postgraduate Research Studies; Ann Neville, Deputy Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Tim Cockerill, Professor of Efficient Energy Utilisation, UoL

Photo 8 The delegation led by President Chen Shiyi has a photo with David Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of UEA; Philip Gilmartin, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science; Claire Reeves, Deputy Dean of the School of Environmental Sciences; Mark Searcey, Dean of the Department of Chemistry and other executives of UEA at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts

Photo 9 President Chen Shiyi signs the Doctor Training Agreement between Southern University of Science and Technology and University of East Anglia and the Memorandum of Cooperation between Southern University of Science and Technology and University of East Anglia with David Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of UEA

Photo 10 David Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of UEA, shows President Chen Shiyi the panorama of UEA

Photo 11 The delegation led by President Chen Shiyi has a photo with Vice-Chancellor and Vice President of UoS

Photo 12 Prof. Philip Hancock of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences introduces the laboratories of the department to the delegation led by Chen Shiyi

Photo 13 Prof. Zhang Xumu makes an academic presentation entitled “Practical asymmetric hydrogenation” to the active doctoral candidates at UoW



Photo 14 Prof. Zhang Xumu makes an academic presentation to the teachers and students of the Department of Chemistry, UoL

Photo 15 Prof. Zheng Chunmiao introduces the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, SUSTech to the professors of environmental sciences at UoL, and makes an academic presentation entitled “Eco hydrology of an endorheic basin: Competing for water by human and nature”.

Photo 16 The delegation led by President Chen Shiyi has a photo with Wang Jiale (1st R), a student of SUSTech attending a summer program at Oxford; Dr. Wang Shidong, head of the program; as well as other students

Background

Located at the junction of central England’s city of Coventry and Warwickshire, University of Warwick (UoW) is a public research university ranked among the top 100 universities in the world and the top 10 universities in the UK. It is known for its high-level academic research and interactive teaching. Founded in 1965, it has four faculties-Arts, Medicine, Science and Social Sciences, 30 schools and departments, as well as 50 research centres. It offers over 120 undergraduate programs, as well as over 100 master and doctoral programs. It established a science park in 1984, attracting over 70 high-tech enterprises to move in. Currently it has nearly 24,000 full-time students as well as 5,500 academic and research staff members, including over 8,000 overseas students, and the total number of its international alumni has reached nearly 55,000.

According to the research and evaluation by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, 87 percent of UoW’s research projects are up to world leading (3 points) or world top standards (4 points). It was ranked among the top 100 universities in the world university rankings of the Times, QS and Shanghai Jiaotong University, ranked 45th among World’s Most International Universities 2016-Times Higher Education, and ranked third among QS Top World Universities under 50 2014 (first among European universities).

Founded in 1900, University of Birmingham (UoB) is a top British university, among the world top 100 universities and six “red brick universities”, as well as a founding member of the Russel Group of renowned British universities, M5 Universities and “Universitas 21” (an international university organization).

UoB has five colleges-Arts and Law, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Life and Environmental Sciences, Medical and Dental Sciences, and Social Sciences. Each college has many schools and departments. There are currently over 28,000 full-time students in UoB, including some 20,000 undergraduates, as well as some 5,500 international students from over 150 countries.

As a research university, UoB enjoys a high fame in the world. With annual revenues of over 500 million pounds, it was involved in the construction of the prestigious university-University of Warwick. Its research covers a wide range of fields and has achieved outstanding results. Its outstanding alumni include former British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, Neville Chamberlain, Robert Anthony Eden, Nobel laureate and inventor of mass spectrometer-Francis Aston, renowned Chinese geologist Li Siguang, etc. To date, it has produced eight Nobel laureates and three British Prime Ministers.

The relations between UoB and China date back to 1901 in its early days.

University of Leeds (UoL) is a top British university, one of the world top 100 universities, a member of the Russell Group of renowned British universities, a member of the Worldwide Universities Network and a member of the White Rose University Consortium. Founded in 1831, it has produced six Nobel laureates, as well as other notable alumni like John Tolkien and Leslie Cheung. It is reputed in teaching and research.

UoL has set up a complete range of majors, covering most social fields and fields of natural sciences. To date, it has offered over 700 undergraduate programs. As one of the world top business universities certified by AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA, Leeds University Business School is the alma mater of numerous industrial and commercial celebrities like the CFO of Dow Jones, the Chairman of Unilever and the former Chairman of Deloitte.

UoL has nine faculties-Arts, Biological Sciences, Business, Education, Social Sciences and Law, Engineering, Environment, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, Medicine and Health, and Performance, Visual Arts and Communications. There are currently over 30,000 full-time students in UoL, including some 23,000 undergraduates. International students roughly account for 22 percent.

University of East Anglia (UEA) is a world top university, a member of the 1994 Group and a 1% elite university. Since its founding in 1963, it has made outstanding achievements in media, literary and artistic talent training, and turned out a lot of celebrated writers, reporters, critics, film makers, etc.

UEA has four faculties-Arts and Humanities, Medicine and Health Sciences, Science and Social Sciences. It plays a leading role in biology and environmental science, and maintains close relations with Norwich Research Park in UEA. It is superior in media, law, computer and information science. It is also accomplished in fields such as research, law, economics, education, international relations, literature, art history and health science. There are currently some 15,000 full-time students, including over 4,000 international students from over 120 countries and over 1,000 Chinese students.

University of Surrey (UoS) is a member of the 1994 Group. It conducts research on top spatial technologies such as small satellite, and has a number of staff who are members of learned societies. As one of the most culturally diversified universities in the UK, it has attracted 3,000 students from more than 130 countries. There are currently over 9,300 graduate and undergraduate students in the university.