A TJU Delegation Visits Australia

From December 1 to 3, a Tianjin University (TJU) delegation headed by Chairman Liu Jianping of the University CPC Standing Committee visited the University of Queensland (UQ) and the University of South Australia (UniSA).

At UQ, President and Vice-Chancellor Peter H?j received the delegation. Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Deborah Terry, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Max Lu, and Acting Vice-President (International) Andrew Everett attended the meeting. Chinese Consul-General in Brisbane Zhao Yongchen and Counsellor for Education Liu Wanliang were invited to the event. During the meeting, President H?j recalled his visit to TJU in March, 2013, when he was conferred TJU honorary professorship, gave a talk at Peiyang Lecture, and visited the Binhai Industrial Research Institute. Also, he mentioned that the jointly-established Confucius Institute was developing smoothly and was successfully promoting their comprehensive collaboration. Additionally, UQ was strongly supported by Hanban (Confucius Institutes’ Headquarters) in that Hanban had formalized the appointment of Professor Peter H?j as a senior consultant. Furthermore, he updated the guests on cooperation in the field of underground fire initiated in March, 2013 between the two universities that they had successfully applied for Australian government funding. This cooperation would contribute to environmental protection. Chairman Liu expressed his pleasure to see the close collaboration in teaching and research between UQ and TJU, the smooth development of the Confucius Institute, which had become a bridge of cooperation between the two universities, as well as between China and Australia, and recent development of UQ, especially new partners UQ has extended under the leadership of President H?j. Subsequently, the two leaders of UQ and TJU reached agreement on cooperation of staff training. Consul-General Zhao thought highly of cooperative achievements between the two universities, and expressed continued support for the two universities in future cooperation.

The TJU delegation also attended the second Board Meeting of the Confucius Institute at UQ (CIUQ) in 2013 upon invitation. At the meeting, personnel changes, the minutes of the first Board Meeting, the report of the Confucius Institute’s activities, as well as its Financial Report in 2013 were endorsed. Chairman Liu, Vice Chair of the Board, praised the work of the colleagues at CIUQ and achievements of it. He reinforced that China would continue to push forward reform and development as announced at the recently closed 3rd Plenary Session of 18th CPC (Communist Party of China) Central Committee, hoping to integrate the work of Confucius Institute with China’s reform and development and to further promote cooperation between the two universities.

After the board meeting, the delegation held talks with representatives from UQ Graduate School and School of Medicine. At the Graduate School, attendees reached consensus on promoting cooperation concerning student training and exchange, and summer programs. At the School of Medicine, both sides discussed cooperation on training dual degree doctoral students and academic exchange and research collaboration.

At the UniSA, the delegation was received by Chancellor Ian Gould. UniSA Council Member Paula Nagel of Chancellery and Council Services, Pro Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia of Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, Pro Vice Chancellor Marie Wilson of UniSA Business School, and Director Ying Zhu of Australian Center for Asian Business also attended the meeting. Attendees recalled cooperation between the two universities, including the cooperation promoted by the China-Australia Centre for Sustainable Urban Development (CAC_SUD) on student training, staff exchange, research collaboration, cooperation between TJU and The Ian Wark Research Institute, as well as academic exchange in the field of economics and management between the two universities. In view of the cooperative achievements between TJU and UniSA, Chancellor Gould was convinced of more successful collaboration in future. Also, he briefed on UniSA’s new research center under construction. Chairman Liu extended his congratulations on UniSA’s development. At the request of attendees, he also introduced the influences of China’s reform and the impact of the 3rd Plenary Session of 18th CPC Central Committee on Chinese economic and social development. During the meeting, the two leaders also discussed university management system.

During his visit, Chairman Liu met with TJU students at the UQ and UniSA, and showed his concern about their life and study there. Also, he hoped that the students could make the most of their opportunities in Australia to improve their integrative abilities.