Source: Office of International Cooperation & Exchange
Written by: Lai Xin
Photo by: Zhong Haolun
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On the afternoon of November 30, 2015, Ms Barbara Woodward CMG OBE, British Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, visited Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU). Professor Luo Jun, President of SYSU, met with the guests. Mr. Matthew Rous, Consul-General of British Consulate General Guangzhou; Professor Gan Yang, Dean of Liberal Arts College of SYSU; Professor Tong Qingsheng from Liberal Arts College of SYSU; and Ms. Xu Yao, Deputy Director of Office of International Cooperation & Exchange of SYSU, were also present at the meeting.

During the meeting, President Luo Jun extended a warm welcome to Ambassador Barbara Woodward on behalf of the University. He introduced SYSU’s history, campuses and development, and expressed the hope to strengthen cooperation and exchange with British universities in the future.

Ambassador Barbara Woodward said that she was glad to visit SYSU. She pointed out that China and the UK are friendly partners and the China-UK relations are in a golden era. British Embassy and Consulates in China will keep close contact with SYSU, and provide support and help to promote mutual understanding between British and Chinese students as well as the cooperation between British universities and SYSU.

Ambassador Barbara Woodward delivered a speech entitled “Women and Empowerment” to SYSU faculty members and students in Swasey Hall. As Britain's first female ambassador to China, she introduced her career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, shared her thoughts on women and empowerment, and had active interactions with students in the Q&A session.

Ms Barbara Woodward took up post as British Ambassador to the People's Republic of China in February 2015. She has worked in China, Russia, the EU and at the UN. From 2009-2011, she was International Director at the UK Border Agency. She joined the Board of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Director General Economic & Consular in October 2011. Ms Barbara Woodward was awarded an OBE in 1999 and was made a CMG in 2011. She received a Guest Professorship from Nankai University, Tianjin, in May 2015.