On November 7, 2016, the delegation led by Chen Shiyi, President of Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), paid a visit to University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. Santa Ono, President of UBC, Marc Parlange, Dean of the School of Engineering, and Adel Zaim, Director of International Cooperation, met with Chen Shiyi and his party, and both parties signed an agreement on the co-culture of doctoral students at the schools of engineering of the two universities at the signing ceremony, joined by Tang Tao, Vice Preside of SUSTech, and Xu Zhenghe, Incoming Dean of the School of Engineering, SUSTech, and other leaders.

Santa Ono expressed warm welcome to Mr. Chen Shiyi for his visit and provided a brief introduction to the basic information about UBC. He said UBC is pleased to establish an all-round cooperation with SUSTech in all areas. In addition, Marc Parlange also introduced the overall condition of the School of Engineering of UBC in scientific research and teaching. Following that, the two sides conducted an in-depth discussion on cooperation in doctoral education, undergraduate education, and establishment of a joint institute of peculiarity disciplines and among others.

Group Photo of Chen Shiyi and Santa Ono at the Signing Ceremony

Afterwards, both parties held a signing ceremony. With the signed agreement on the co-culture of doctoral students, our school will enroll and select excellent students from our School of Engineering to study for a doctor’s degree (PhD) in UBC in the future. The cooperative program adopts the cultivation mode of cooperation between two universities and dual-tutor system. According to the program, the doctoral candidates will study in UBC for one or two years and spend the rest of their time on learning and research in SUSTech, during which they will get the instruction of their dual-tutors from SUSTech and UBC.

In the lead-up to the visit, the delegation from SUSTech led by Mr. Chen Shiyi held a panel discussion with professors and scholars from the School of Engineering of UBC, conducting a deep discussion on cooperation in joint scientific research between the engineering specialties of the two universities, communication between teachers and students and cross-cutting collaboration in peculiarity disciplines. The panel discussion was chaired by Tony Bi, an academician of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the professor from the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering of UBC.

Delegation from SUSTech Holds a Panel Discussion with Professors and Scholars from the School of Engineering of UBC

After the end of the signing ceremony, Mr. Chen Shiyi accompanied by Professor Tony Bi visited the campus of UBC, investigating the campus buildings such as library, teaching building, laboratory building and students’ dormitory.

On November 9, 2016, Mr. Chen Shiyi paid a visit to New York University (NYU) in the US, meeting with Andrew Hamilton, President of NYU, joined by Tang Tao, Xu Zhenghe, and Academician Yu Dapeng from the Department of Physics of SUSTech who also attended the panel discussion.

Mr. Chen Shiyi Holds a Panel Discussion with Andrew Hamilton

Andrew Hamilton extended warm welcome to Mr. Chen Shiyi for his visit. He said NYU attaches importance to establishing and maintaining a good relationship with universities from China, and SUSTech is highly welcomed to explore and establish partnership with them. At the discussion, Andrew Hamilton introduced the overall condition of NYU, construction of their overseas campuses, scientific research and teaching development, talent cultivation, development and peculiarity disciplines and development of their Business School. Afterwards, both parties conducted an in-depth discussion on cooperation in such areas as engineering, physics, math, computer science and commercial science between the two universities. Andrew Hamilton who accepted the invitation from Mr. Chen Shiyi plans to pay a return visit to SUSTech in the near term to further discuss the cooperation between the two universities.

During their visit, the delegation discussed with Katepalli Raju Sreenivasan, Dean of the School of Engineering of NYU, on specific cooperative programs between both parties.

Group Photo of Mr. Chen Shiyi and Andrew Hamilton