Source: Office of International Cooperation & Exchange
Written by: Ian Heuer
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

Recently, a delegation of professors and researchers from the University of Birmingham (UoB) in the United Kingdom visited Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) to engage in discussions on cooperation and conduct joint research workshops. The visit culminated with a meeting between the University of Birmingham delegation, led by Vice President Professor Robin Mason, and representatives of various SYSU schools and departments, led by Vice President Professor Yan Guangmei.

During the meeting, Professor Yan expressed his strong support for the consolidation and expansion of the collaborative relationship between the UoB and SYSU. The First Affiliated Hospital of SYSU has already successfully collaborated with the UoB in the joint construction of a clinical trials center, as well as joint training. Many other SYSU schools and departments have also established student exchange and joint-degree programs with their UoB counterparts as well.

Professor Mason agreed that the level and breadth of cooperation between the two universities had reached a critical inflection point. He mentioned that across the whole of China, UoB chose Guangzhou to open a representative office (the University of Birmingham Guangzhou Center) and UoB’s leadership viewed cooperation with the South China region as strategically vital to their institution’s development. He also noted that earlier this year he assumed the role of Vice President for International Affairs, and in this capacity he looked forward to consolidating the bilateral relationship with SYSU and elevating it to the status of “key strategic partnership”.

University of Birmingham’s Prof. Mason and Prof. Jon Frampton, Assistant President for China Affairs, met with representatives of SYSU’s Center for Precision Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Third Affiliated Hospital, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, and Office for Scientific Research and Development on SYSU’s North Campus. The two sides discussed new opportunities for the development of a joint research platform in the field of translational and precision medicine.

Meanwhile, UoB Prof. Alberto Vecchio visited SYSU’s Zhuhai campus, where he met with representatives of SYSU’s School of Physics and Astronomy and TianQin Research Center. SYSU’s School of Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychology also hosted UoB researchers for lectures and cooperation discussions.

The meeting with SYSU Vice President Yan Guangmei concluded with a signing ceremony to formally extend the university-level framework cooperation agreement between the two universities.

The University of Birmingham is a public research university located in Birmingham, United Kingdom. It is a founding member of both the Russell Group of British research universities and the international network of research universities, Universitas 21. The student population includes 20,100 undergraduate and 14,060 postgraduate students, which is the fourth largest in the UK. According to the QS World University Rankings for 2017, University of Birmingham ranks 82nd in the world and 15th in the UK.