From May 20 to 25, Vice President Zhao Zhen and his delegation visited the National University of Singapore, the University of Wollongong in Australia, and paid a visit to the Chinese Embassy in Australia. They also toured the Australian Institute for Innovative Materials and SJTU Asia-Pacific Graduate Institute, Singapore, among other related research institutions, and have their views exchanged with some Chinese scholars and representatives of international students.
At the National University of Singapore, Professor Chan Eng Soon, Director of the Office of the Deputy President (Research and Technology), and Wang Lin, Deputy Director of the China Programme Office, met with the delegation. Zhao Zhen introduced the situation of Donghua University, feature disciplines, and the existing cooperation with the National University of Singapore, hoping to further deepen cooperation in advantageous disciplines between the two sides. Chan Eng Soon and Wang Lin introduced the basic situation of the National University of Singapore, especially the layout and structure of its China Programme Office, hoping that Donghua University and the NUS (Suzhou) Research Institute will take further talent training and scientific research cooperation on the basis of the framework agreement signed for the “3+1+1” joint training project. The two sides also exchanged views on topics of mutual interest such as the coordinated management mechanism of colleges and research platforms, the use of laboratory space, and teacher assessment. After the meeting, the delegation visited the laboratory of its School of Materials Science and Engineering, and held discussions with some Chinese scholars and international students. In addition, the delegation visited SJTU Asia-Pacific Graduate Institute and conducted research on its overseas education mode and the operation mechanism of large-scale scientific research cooperation projects between China and Singapore. Vice Dean of SJTU Asia-Pacific Graduate Institute Xu Min introduced the relevant situation.
On behalf of Donghua University, Zhao Zhen signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation at the University of Wollongong in Australia. The main campus of the University of Wollongong is located in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is a public comprehensive university established in the same year as Donghua University and focuses on engineering, technology, education, business, and natural sciences, ranking 162nd in the QS World University Rankings 2024. The delegation had in-depth exchanges with the head and teachers of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences of the University, believing that the two sides have similar characteristics in disciplines and have sufficient cooperation space. It is proposed to establish a joint laboratory for interface science and catalysis based on the memorandum of cooperation to further strengthen the existing scientific research partnership between the two sides. After the meeting, the delegation visited the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute and the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials of the Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, and held discussions with famous experts and scholars in the field of materials, who presented their research results. The management mode of research facilities and equipment of Australian Institute for Innovative Materials serves as a beneficial reference for the safety management of laboratories in Donghua University.
The delegation travelled then to Canberra to meet with Ambassador Xiao Qian, China’s Ambassador to Australia, with the participation of Consul Li Wei. Zhao Zhen exchanged views and reported on the development of Donghua University and cooperation and exchanges with Australia. Ambassador Xiao Qian praised Donghua University in exchanges and cooperation with Australia and hoped that it could leverage its disciplinary advantages to actively engage in educational and technological cooperation with Australian universities.
2024 marks the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the Shanghai-Singapore Comprehensive Cooperation Council and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Australia, and this visit further strengthened the friendship and trust between Donghua University and colleges and universities in Singapore and Australia, laying a foundation for further academic exchanges and cooperation. The heads of the Personnel Department, the Institute of Science and Technology, the Asset Management Office, the College of Materials Science and Engineering, and the International Cooperation Office accompanied the delegation.