From June 2 to 9, 2024, President Xu Jiangrong led a delegation to visit Brunel University London, Anglia Ruskin University in the UK, and Hassan II University in Casablanca, Morocco. The visit focused on discussing the renewal of Sino-foreign cooperative education projects, faculty exchanges, research collaboration, student exchange, and joint training programs. The delegation aimed to expand international research cooperation opportunities for faculty and new avenues for student study abroad. During the visit, agreements were signed, and events including an overseas talent recruitment fair, alumni meet-and-greet, and a parents' forum for international students were held. The delegation included Li Zhanguo, Director of the Development and Planning Office; Wang Qiang, Executive Vice President of the Science and Technology Office; Wang Jianqi, Director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Office; Shao Wenjun, Party Secretary of the Logistics Service Center; and Yu Xiao, Deputy Dean of the College of Economics and Management.
On the afternoon of June 2, the delegation organized an overseas talent recruitment event at their hotel. The fair provided a comprehensive overview of China Jiliang University’s history, academic disciplines, research strengths, and the talent recruitment policies at both the national and Zhejiang provincial levels. The delegation engaged in detailed discussions with overseas talents, including Lecturer Wang Lijuan from the University of Kent, Postdoctoral Researcher Zhao Yuanhong from Oxford Brookes University, Dr. Qian Linglong from King’s College London, and Dr. Zhang Mengyuan from Brunel University. The participants expressed their strong interest in furthering their engagement with the university and considering in-depth visits and collaborations in the future.
On the morning of June 3, the delegation met with alumni Li Haotong and Jiang Zhouzhe who graduated from the College of Art and Communication. The meeting provided an opportunity to learn about the alumni's experiences in studying and working in London, gather their insights and reflections on their undergraduate education, and solicit their feedback and suggestions for the university's development. President Xu encouraged the alumni to uphold the university's motto and to contribute to their country and support their alma mater in various ways after completing their studies.
On the afternoon of June 3, the delegation visited the Quality Engineering and Intelligent Technology Research Center at Brunel University London. Established in 1966, Brunel University is a prestigious public university in the UK known for its research and education. With over 13,000 students, including more than 2,800 international students, the university is ranked 343rd in the 2024 QS World University Rankings. Its programs in design, engineering, and law have consistently been ranked among the top ten in the UK. The university has a long history of collaboration with the College of Energy and Safety Engineering and the College of Quality and Standardization at CJLU. During the visit, Qingping Yang, Director of the Research Center, presented the center's current research projects and guided the delegation through the laboratory facilities.
On the morning of June 4, the delegation continued their visit to Brunel University London and held a formal meeting. The delegation was warmly received by Brunel's Vice-Chancellor, Hua Zhao, and attended by Abdulnaser Sayma, Dean of the School of Engineering, Design, and Physical Sciences; Thanos Megaritis, Head of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; R. Nilavalan, Head of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering; Monica Yang, International Cooperation Manager; Qingping Yang, Director of the Quality Engineering and Intelligent Technology Research Center; and Kirsty Smith, Deputy Director of Global Affairs. Both sides introduced their respective institutions and engaged in in-depth discussions on educational and research cooperation, as well as faculty and student exchanges. Building on the foundation of several years of collaboration, President Xu Jiangrong emphasized the importance of advancing research cooperation and exploring joint Master's and PhD programs. Both parties reached a consensus on their expectations and goals for future collaboration and signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize the partnership.
On the afternoon of June 4, the delegation visited the Chelmsford campus of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). Founded in 1858 in Cambridge, England, ARU is a prominent public university that was named the Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year for 2023. The university has approximately 23,000 students, including over 9,000 international students. Since 2015, ARU has collaborated with our university on an undergraduate program in Financial Engineering, which has produced six graduating cohorts to date. Stephen Mugliston, Deputy Dean of the School of Engineering and the Built Environment at ARU, provided an overview of the school's student education and professional internship programs. The two sides engaged in extensive discussions and exchanges on joint student training and research project collaboration. Martin McCarthy, Head of Transnational Education Development at ARU, and Jin Jing, Senior International Cooperation Officer, accompanied the delegation on a tour of the campus’s laboratories and teaching facilities.
On June 5, the delegation visited the Cambridge campus of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and met with leaders from the Business and Law School to discuss the renewal of the joint undergraduate program in Financial Engineering. The meeting was attended by Mohammad Ali, ARU's Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Business and Law School, Swetketu Patnaik, Dean of the School of Economics, Finance and Law, Simon Wood, Director of International Partnerships, Jin Jing, Senior International Cooperation Officer, Simon Evans, Director of the International Partnerships Centre, and Danielle Talbot from the Education Cooperation Centre. Vice Chancellor Mohammad Ali warmly welcomed the delegation and provided an overview of ARU’s history and the achievements of the ongoing collaboration. President Xu shared information about our university’s background and research strengths, reviewed the successes of the joint program over the past decade, and expressed a desire to expand future cooperation and encourage more students to pursue studies at ARU. The two sides discussed further collaboration opportunities, including summer student camps, faculty and student exchange programs, and joint master's level programs. They agreed to continue the existing undergraduate Financial Engineering program and reached a consensus on exploring higher-level collaborative programs and enhancing faculty and student exchanges.
On the morning of June 7, the delegation visited Université Hassan II de Casablanca (UH2C) in Morocco. Established in 1975, UH2C is one of Morocco's youngest public universities and the largest by student enrollment, with over 140,000 students. It is also one of Africa's key higher education institutions, renowned for its advanced facilities, extensive library resources, and well-equipped laboratories, providing a high-quality learning environment and rich academic resources. The delegation was warmly received by Vice President Mustapha Lkhider, who hosted a formal meeting with the delegation. Vice President Fatima Zahra Alami, Director of International Cooperation Omar El Ghazi, Director of Faculty Training Alami Younsi Saad, Dean of the National Advanced Technical Institute Omar Bouattane, and Fadma Ait Mous, Director of the Confucius Institute at UH2C, participated in the discussions. The meeting focused on opportunities for student exchange, faculty collaboration, and research partnerships, culminating in the signing of a cooperation memorandum. In the afternoon, the delegation toured UH2C’s library and key laboratories.
On the evening of June 7, the delegation held a meeting with the parents of Moroccan students currently enrolled at China Jiliang University at their hotel. During the meeting, the delegation provided an overview of the university and discussed the students' performance. The parents expressed satisfaction with the university’s educational quality, teaching, research, sports facilities, and services. They also appreciated the university’s emphasis on international student education and training. The parents requested more opportunities and support for students in areas such as professional internships and scholarships. Following the meeting, President Xu presented the parents with university-themed souvenirs and took a commemorative photo with them. Morocco is the largest source of international students at CJLU, and the international student education has been placed a strong emphasis during our university's development.
During the visit, the delegation held discussions with university leaders, administrative staff, and academic representatives from Anglia Ruskin University and Brunel University in the UK, as well as Hassan II University of Casablanca in Morocco. They toured campuses, laboratories, libraries, and teaching facilities, met with alumni in London and parents of students in Casablanca, and organized a recruitment fair in London which was met with enthusiastic interest.
The visit resulted in the signing of two memoranda of understanding. Details for the renewal of the cooperative education agreement with Anglia Ruskin University were finalized, and a high level of consensus was reached with Brunel University on student joint training, faculty exchanges, and collaborative programs. The visit successfully achieved its goals, fostering friendship and trust. It has positively impacted the promotion of international exchange and cooperation with universities in the UK and Morocco, advanced the development of disciplines such as Instrumentation Science and Technology and Optical Engineering, and enhanced China Jiliang University's reputation and recognition.
