From December 4 to 11, 2016, Song Mingshun, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of China Jiliang University (CJLU), led a delegation to visit Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in the UK and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in Ireland. The six-member delegation comprised Song Mingshun, Pro-Vice-Chancellor; Bi Xiaoguang, Party Secretary of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences; Xie Dailiang, Vice Dean of the College of Metrology and Testing Engineering; Wang Qin, Deputy Director of the Student Affairs Office; Jia Yuesong, Deputy Director of the Publicity Office; and Liu Meilan, faculty member of the School of Foreign Languages. This visit aimed to further strengthen inter-university exchanges and cooperation between CJLU and higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland, expand diversified and multi-level overseas exchange programs, and reach cooperation intentions with the two universities in talent cultivation, faculty and student exchanges and other areas.

The delegation first visited Anglia Ruskin University, one of the top 40 universities in the UK with which CJLU maintains sound cooperative relations. Located in eastern England, ARU is a large, modern comprehensive university with over 35,000 students and more than 2,000 faculty and staff members. It consists of five faculties, offering a wide spectrum of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across disciplines ranging from business and management, education, health and social work, literature and arts, languages and law to various science and engineering fields. Its academic programs cover all levels, including foundation programs, undergraduate degrees, pre-master’s programs, master’s degrees and doctoral programs.

The delegation visited the Chelmsford campus and held talks with Gary Packham, Dean of the Business School; Simon Evans, Head of the International Cooperation Department; and Teng Guan Khoo, among others. Song Mingshun introduced to Gary Packham the basic profile of CJLU as well as the characteristics and strengths of its talent cultivation, and elaborated on the innovation and entrepreneurship culture and environment in Zhejiang Province. The two sides conducted in-depth discussions on faculty exchange visits, student exchanges, innovation and entrepreneurship, and practical experience, communicated effectively on matters related to Sino-foreign cooperative education, and reached consensus. On behalf of CJLU, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Song Mingshun signed the Student Exchange Agreement between Anglia Ruskin University of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and China Jiliang University of the People’s Republic of China.

At the Cambridge campus of Anglia Ruskin University, the delegation held talks with Helen Valentine, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Anglia Ruskin University (overseeing international cooperation); Jacqui McCary, Head of the International Cooperation Office; Stephanie Dimond-Bayir, Head of the Language Centre; and Sebastian Rasinger, among others. Ms. Valentine fully affirmed the ongoing cooperation between the two sides and expressed her expectation for further expansion of cooperation areas. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Song also noted that the development of higher education calls for broad vision and open-mindedness, and there is enormous cooperation potential between the two universities in faculty and student exchanges and other fields, which requires enhanced mutual understanding and communication. After giving a detailed briefing on the progress of current cooperative programs and feedback from faculty and students, the two sides exchanged views on faculty exchange visits, student exchanges and short-term summer camps for cultural experience. Both sides agreed to vigorously advance faculty-level exchanges and training, launch short-term cultural experience programs for students, explore the feasibility of mutual credit recognition, and actively step up the promotion of cooperative programs. After the meeting, the delegation visited photography and video, painting and printing laboratories of the Faculty of Arts, and sat in on classes to experience classroom teaching at ARU.

The delegation then traveled to Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland for exchanges. Waterford Institute of Technology is one of the oldest, largest and most academically authoritative higher education institutions in Ireland. Operating under Ireland’s national qualification framework, it is an autonomous comprehensive institute with the status of a national university. Degrees awarded by the institute are recognized worldwide, and its graduates hold key positions in multinational companies across Ireland, Europe and many other countries. It currently has 10,500 students and six faculties, namely the Faculty of Business, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Science, with nearly 400 international students from 35 countries.

During the visit to Waterford Institute of Technology, Song Mingshun held meetings with Dr. Thomas O’Toole, Vice President of the institute, and Joan McDonald, Dean of the Faculty of Management, among others. Song Mingshun gave a detailed introduction to the basic situation of CJLU, emphasizing that the university is committed to aligning scientific research with social needs, continuously strengthening practical teaching, and highlighting its distinctive educational strengths in teaching, research and social services. After consultations, the two sides agreed to carry out cooperation in faculty and student exchanges, Confucius Classrooms, and the "3+1 model" for accounting, finance and financial management. Subsequently, the two universities signed a memorandum of understanding on inter-university cooperation. The delegation also held a discussion with Albert Byrne, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at WIT. Song Mingshun introduced CJLU’s achievements in engineering education and research, and Vice Dean Xie Dailiang presented the basic profile of the College of Metrology and Testing Engineering. The two sides reached an initial consensus on jointly running a cooperative education program in sustainable energy. Both sides expressed their hope to actively develop inter-university exchange and cooperation programs and promote faculty exchanges, student exchanges and academic exchanges. The delegation also visited the laboratories of the Faculty of Engineering and listened to briefings by laboratory directors.

This visit was a working mission for CJLU to strengthen educational cooperation and exchanges with universities in the UK and Ireland and develop new cooperative programs and forge partnerships with more institutions. Consensus was reached on student exchanges, joint cultivation and faculty exchange visits, and cooperation agreements were signed, which advanced relevant work and further deepened the ties with higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland.