On November 23, 2018, the 9^th Joint Conference for Excellence 9 Presidents and President’s Forum of UK-China University Consortium on Engineering Education and Research opened in Nanjing. CQU President Zhang Zongyi attended the meeting and delivered a speech titled “international exchange and communication contributing to construction of the world-first-rate university”.

Zhang Zongyi stated that the process of talent cultivation in China’s engineering education field had shifted from the enclosed cultivation to open cultivation, and the universities of China were now in the process of rapid internationalization. We should further enhance international exchange and cooperation as part of the construction of a world-first-rate university. Furthermore, we should fully utilize the President’s Forum of UK-China University Consortium on Engineering Education and Research as a platform to enhance the exchange between members of the UK-China University Consortium, and encourage more students and teachers to pay academic visit to other members, so as to facilitate establishment of joint research centers and material cooperation in areas such as disciplines, scientific research and industries. Zhang suggested that the members of UK-China University Consortium should collaborate with each other to raise the international influence of the Consortium, and strive for the support of the governments of the two countries, so as to deepen cooperation in higher education between the two countries. He also sincerely invited the college and university members of the Consortium on the UK side to participate actively in construction of the international campus of Chongqing University.

 

During the Forum, Zhang Zongyi met with Ian Greer, president of Queen's University Belfast. The two parties pointed out that a solid foundation had been built up for cooperation between the two universities and expressed their hope that the further cooperation would be carried out between the two in terms of student exchange, academic communication, scientific and technological innovation and construction of international campuses.

At the 9^th Joint Conference for Excellence 9 Presidents held afterwards, Chongqing University was determined as the rotating chairing university of the Consortium in 2020.

The Joint Conference was sponsored by Southeast University as a rotating sponsor. Zhang Jun, president of Beijing Institute of Technology, Guo Dongming, president of Dalian University of Technology, Zhang Guangjun, president of Southeast University, Zhou Yu, president of Harbin Institute of Technology, Gao Song, president of South China University of Technology, Zhong Denghua, president of Tianjin University, Chen Jie, president of Tongji University, Huang Wei, vice president of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Ian Greer, president of Queen’s University Belfast, and Mark Price, vice president of the University, Robin Mason, vice president of University of Birmingham, Tim Bradshaw, CEO of Russell Group, Ma Xuning, director of the British Council East China and consul in charge of cultural education of the Consulate General of the UK in Shanghai, and representatives of colleges and universities of UK, such as the University of Cambridge, the University of Leeds, Liverpool University and Warwick University, and representatives of Tokyo University of Technology have attended the Conference.

 

Rao Jinsong, director of the President’s Office, Jiang Hualin, deputy director of the President’s Office, and Gao Xiang, deputy director of the International Affairs Office, have also attended the Conference and related events.