On May 28th, a delegation from University of Birmingham visited Jinan University, led by Provost and Vice-Principal Prof. Adam Tickell, Pro-Vice-Chancellors Prof. Edward Peck and Prof. Richard Williams. This visit marks the 8th leadership visit to discuss issues relating the JNU/UOB International Education Center.
President Prof. Hu Jun and Vice-President Prof. Song Xianzhong met with the delegation, and had in-depth discussions on details of jointly establishing International Education Center. Staff members from International Affairs Office, Financial Affairs Office, Teaching Affairs Office, College of Economics, College of Information Science and Technology, College of Life Science and Technology and Law School were also present at the meeting.
During the meeting, university leaders from both sides introduced recent progress on planned cooperation programs and reached a consensus on issues relating submitting to the Ministry of Education the application of building Sino-foreign cooperative education institution in September this year. Subsequently, faculties of the involved subjects discussed the details of curriculum, teaching proportion, and enrolment size. The first tentative cooperative programs include chemistry, life sciences, economics, mathematics and law, and the second ones will be carried out based on the overall development needs of JNU. The two sides also discussed financial mode, management system, policy bottlenecks, venue construction as well as the application and approval issues pertaining to the International Education Center, based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, win-win principle and in a manner of seeking solutions.
Vice President Song Xianzhong said, the meeting has indicated the direction for the preparatory work of the International Education Center, and laid a solid foundation. A special area of the new campus that will be put into use this September will be allotted to build International Education Center Complex, providing infrastructure for the joint program and in-depth cooperation. During the meeting, President Hu Jun thanked University of Birmingham for the frequent visits and discussions made by the university leadership and other colleagues, adding that the sincere, pragmatic and cooperative attitude demonstrated by both sides has yielded good results, including the on-going Sino-foreign cooperative education institution, student exchange program, teachers visiting projects and scientific research cooperation projects. It is believed that the successful cooperation will significantly contribute to JNU’s goal of becoming "a research university with distinctive characteristics and reputation at home and abroad."
After the meeting, Tickell and his entourages visited JNU’s new campus in Panyu district. Staff from Construction Department introduced the construction process of the new campus, as well as the planning and layout of and the International Education Center. The two sides also discussed the requirements and positioning of constructing International Education Center.