On April 26th 2017, the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government Deputy Secretary-General Liu Jiachen led the delegation of the city of Shenzhen and SUSTech’s representatives President Chen Shiyi and Chairwoman Guo Yurong to visit the United States’ Johns Hopkins University.

Also included in the visiting delegation were the directors of the Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission, the Municipal Education Bureau, the Municipal Public Hospital Management Center, as well as SUSTech’s Vice President Wu Chuanyue and International Affairs Chief Operating Officer Lu Chun.

Johns Hopkins University’s Vice President of Medicine, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and President of Johns Hopkins Medical Systems Paul Rothman welcomed the visitors. He said that since President Chen’s first visit to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine on August 15, 2001, both parties have exchanged visits and achieved great results through their close cooperation. SUSTech and Johns Hopkins University share a common philosophy, and that is an important basis for a strong relationship. He went on to say that the Medical College was looking forward to working and building closer ties with the city of Shenzhen and with SUSTech.

At the scene of the talks

Group photo

Dr. Robert Ziegelstein, Associate Dean of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, introduced the progress made in collaborations between SUSTech and the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine which served as a model for SUSTech, and briefed the delegation on Johns Hopkins University medical education methods, function, organizational division and its significance.

Roy Ziegelstein presents his department to the delegation

On behalf of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, Liu Jiachen gave the Johns Hopkins University an introduction to the basic situation of health care, strategic development, leadership, and innovation-oriented urban development concept which makes the city so unique and in the focus. She said that Shenzhen attaches great importance to building relationships with reputable domestic and foreign colleges and universities and is working especially on closer ties with medical institutions. The city has already successfully helped forge multiple partnerships with top institutions and will continue to actively promote cooperation between SUSTech and Johns Hopkins University in particular.

Wu Chuanyue went on to introduce the progress of the preparation work for the SUSTech of Medicine, Shenzhen Qianhai Free Trade Area and the former sea hospital vision to the representative of the Hopkins Hospital Dean Redonda Miller. Miller said Johns Hopkins Hospital is always eager to establish contacts with SUSTech and the wider Shenzhen health care system and explore the possibility of future cooperation.

President Chen Shiyi and Deputy Dean Denis Wirtz

On Wednesday 26th, President Chen met with Denis Wirtz, Deputy Dean of Johns Hopkins University. The two sides exchanged views on the development of scientific research, interdisciplinary research projects and research policy funding as areas of potential cooperation.

Liu Jiachen, Guo Yurong, Chen Shiyi and Sunil Kumar

On the evening of the 26th, the SUSTech and Shenzhen Municipal delegation held talks with the university delegates at the Johns Hopkins University including Dean Sunil Kumar and 2003 Nobel laureate Peter Agre.

Chen Shiyi meets 2003 Nobel Prize Winner Peter Agre

Kumar welcomed the delegation to visit Johns Hopkins University. He is very optimistic about the prospects of SUSTech partnering with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and expressed his pleasure at seeing that SUSTech established further partnerships in departments such as medicine, engineering and related disciplines, and is looking forward to working to establish a more comprehensive, deeper and more lasting partnership.

During the visit, the visitors were interviewed by Ralph Hruban, Dean of the Department of Pathology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Howard Haft, Deputy Director of the Maryland Health Department. Together they visited the Johns Hopkins Hospital Control Center, operating room, medical school simulation teaching center and the technology incubation center.

Also attending the event were Charles Wiener, Vice President of International Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Sanford Wu, Executive Director of International Medecine, and Zhiping Li, Assistant Director of International Medical Education.

Contribution: Office of Global Engagement