From March 23 to 28, Wu Pingchuan, Chair of HFU Council, led a delegation on a visit to Germany and the United Kingdom to further expand HFU’s international education initiatives. The delegation held in-depth discussions on Sino-foreign cooperative programs, disciplinary development, scientific research collaboration and innovation, as well as the Confucius Institute construction. These efforts yielded a series of cooperation outcomes, injecting new momentum into the University’s international development.
Deepening the Sino-German Cooperation Foundation and Opening a New Chapter for the Confucius Institute Development
On the morning of March 23, the delegation paid a visit to the Chinese Embassy in Germany. Wu Pingchuan presented a detailed briefing on HFU’s distinctive features in its educational cooperation with Germany, the series of events for the 10th anniversary of the Stralsund Confucius Institute, the construction plans and development vision for HFU’s newly-set International College, as well as the University’s aspirations to expand scientific research cooperation with more high-level German universities. He earnestly asked for the Embassy’s support in building cooperation channels and connecting with quality resources, to help advance HFU’s cooperation with Germany.
The delegation made a special trip to the Confucius Institute in Stralsund to make detailed arrangements for the series of commemorative activities for the its 10th anniversary, which showcased the achievements of cultural exchanges between China and Germany through cultural activities, and further enhanced the Institute’s influence in Chinese language education and cultural communication in northern Germany.
During their stay in Stralsund, the delegation paid a visit to Dr. Alexander Badrov, Mayor of Stralsund. The two sides exchanged views on cooperation and exchanges in cultural and educational ties between HFU and Stralsund. They explored the future positioning and medium-to-long-term development plans for the Confucius Institute, reaching broad consensus on deepening Chinese language education among local people, enriching the forms of China-Germany cultural exchanges, and strengthening cooperation in education, culture, and tourism.
Later, the delegation visited Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and received a warm welcome from its President Alexander Schmemann?. The two sides held in-depth discussions on college construction planning, faculty development, and teacher training cooperation. They also held talks on the content development of the annual journal Applied Higher Education Research, aiming to develop the journal into an important platform for international exchange in applied higher education.
Expanding New Horizons in China-UK Cooperation and Promoting Inter-University Collaborative Innovation
From March 26 to 28, the delegation visited the Chinese Embassy in the UK, the University of Huddersfield and the University of Cambridge successively, opening a new chapter in inter-university cooperation and academic exchanges. The delegation held talks with John Murray, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, and the Dean of the School of Education. The two sides conducted in-depth discussions and reached consensus on a range of cooperative issues, including joint education programs, integrated undergraduate-postgraduate programs, joint doctoral supervision and teacher training. Following the talks, Wu Pingchuan and John Murray jointly signed a memorandum of cooperation between the two universities, marking the official launch of all-round and multi-tiered educational exchanges and cooperation.
During their visit to the University of Cambridge, the delegation visited the Cambridge Think Tank, the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) and the Cavendish Laboratory. The delegation held discussions with professors, postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates from the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, where they presented HFU’s achievements in discipline construction, scientific research innovation and academic development. They also conducted professional academic exchanges with Dr. Timon Euser of the Cavendish Laboratory on new energy battery safety technologies. The two sides exchanged ideas and visions on technological research and development, scientific research project cooperation and joint talent cultivation, and expressed their willingness to further deepen exchanges and cooperation.
On the 27th, the delegation paid a visit to the Chinese Embassy in the UK. Wu Pingchuan briefed in detail on the current state of the University’s educational cooperation with the UK, especially the achievements in cooperation with the University of Exeter, the University of Leicester and the University of Derby, as well as the project promotion plan following the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation with the University of Huddersfield, and proactively aligned with the Embassy for relevant arrangements.
This visit is an important measure for HFU to implement the national strategy of opening up education to the outside world and deepen international exchanges and cooperation with Europe. Taking this visit as an opportunity, the University will accelerate the implementation of various cooperation consensuses and agreements, further advance international exchanges and cooperation in depth, and strive to cultivate high-quality applied talents with a global vision. It will contribute to the University’s transition from participating in international exchanges to enhancing its international influence, and support its development into a high-level applied university with international influence.
