From October 24 to 29, 2024, Hong Jiang, University Council Chairperson of the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), led a delegation to Sweden and the United Kingdom.

They visited Lund University, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA), and King’s College London (KCL). The visit was to strengthen SUSTech’s existing international partnerships in the region and explore opportunities for furthering academic exchange and research collaboration.

The visit began at Lund University in Sweden, where Chairperson Jiang had an extensive discussion with Vice-Chancellor Kristina Eneroth. She highlighted the strong foundation for collaboration in nanoscience and its applications.

Since the memorandum of understanding was signed in February 2023, both institutions have been into a new phase of partnership. The discussion included topics such as university management experiences and academic development, with exchanges of views on talent cultivation and research collaborations.

Both sides agreed on a closer collaboration and more exchanges among faculty members and students. In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Lund University Nanoscience Research Institute and explored ways to strengthen their long-term partnership.

SUSTech delegation with Lund University representatives

Chairperson Hong Jiang and Vice-Chancellor Kristina Eneroth of Lund University

The delegation then visited the IVA. Chairperson Jiang and Vice President of the Academy Anders Lindberg held constructive discussions on a range of issues, including talent development, academic exchange, and research collaboration.

Later, the delegation met with KTH Vice President Stefan Östlund. Chairperson Jiang proposed to expand cooperation by increasing the diversity of exchange programs, exploring dual-degree programs, and encouraging joint research.

SUSTech delegation with IVA representatives

Chairperson Hong Jiang and KTH Vice President Stefan Östlund

In the UK, Chairperson Jiang met with Shitij Kapur, President of KCL. During the visit, she underscored the significance of the collaboration between the two universities in business, physics, chemistry, healthcare, and hospital management. Chairperson Jiang and President Kapur also discussed ways to strengthen the SUSTech-KCL partnership.

SUSTech delegation with KCL representatives

The delegation also met with faculty members from the Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, and Life Sciences and Medicine departments. They explored the possibility of further cooperation on PhD programs in oral medicine, biomedical sciences, and biomedical engineering.

They concluded the visit with a tour of KCL’s medical school, the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering, the dental simulation laboratory, and the pathology museum to gain deeper insights into KCL’s medical education system.

Chairperson Hong Jiang and KCL President Shitij Kapur

Lars Ivar Samuelson, Chair Professor and Dean of the Institute of Nanoscience and Applications, Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Academician of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and IVA; Songling Wang, Chair Professor and Dean of the School of Medicine, and Dean of the SUSTech-King’s School of Medicine (SKMed); Jiaqing He, Chair Professor and Director of the Office of Research; Thérèse Hesketh, Executive Dean of SKMed; and Jian Zhang, Deputy Dean of SKMed, accompanied Chairperson Jiang for this visit.