A Tianjin University Delegation Visits European Universities

From September 11 to 17, 2014,Chairman of the CPC Standing Committee of Tianjin University (TJU), Prof. Liu Jianping, led a delegation toIcelandand Irelandandvisited Reykjavik University,theUniversityof Icelandand the University College Dublin.

At the Reykjavik University (RU), the delegation was received by its President Ari Kristinn Jónsson and Vice Chairman of the Board Finnur Oddson. After reviewing the research collaboration in energy and the joint training of students between the two universities since 2012, President Jónsson pointed out that Reykjavik attached great importance to the cooperation with TJU and hoped to promote further cooperation in energy. Chairman Liu gave anupdate of TJU’s recent development in energy, especially in alternative energy, scientific research, and the university-industry collaboration. From RU colleagues’ briefing on the application and development of energy, especially geothermal energy, Chairman Liu saw its mature technology and promisingfuture of the collaboration since the development and application of clean energy has been given increasingly importance in China. Also, Chairman Liu hoped that high level research collaboration could facilitate talent training and university-industry collaboration, and thus further deepen international cooperation for mutual gains. Subsequently,a dual degree contract was signed between the two universities.After the meeting, the delegation visited a local geothermal power plant.

During the visit to the University of Iceland, Rector Kristín Ingólfsdóttir andPro-Rector of Academic AffairsJón Atli Benediktsson met with the delegation. Rector Ingólfsdóttir gave a briefing on the university, including its disciplines, schools and departments, degree programs, international education, and interdisciplinary development, especially the Arctic research which brings together its advantages in engineering, energy, humanities, and social sciences. Chairman Liu provided an overview of TJU’s history, academic and research strengths, and international cooperation. He elaborated on related concepts and practice of TJU’s new campus in promoting discipline clusters and interdisciplinary education. Afterwards, further discussions were held on the promotion of faculty and student exchanges and high level research collaboration in key areas, and the strengthening of in-depth research collaboration with external resources, and therefore its strong implication for innovative talents training. After the discussion, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding and an Agreement on Student Exchanges.

The delegation also visited the Chinese Embassy in Iceland.CounselorChen Laiping briefly introduced the cooperation and exchange in the fields of economics culture and education between the two countries. He expressed the Embassy’s vision to promote deeper exchanges and cooperation between the universities of the two countries. Chairman Liu briefed TJU’s cooperation with the University of Iceland and Reykjavik University, and TJU’s further development of related disciplines, scientific research and talent cultivation building on the collaboration.CounselorChen spoke highly of the practice of TJU and hoped that the Embassy could provide support and build a platform for substantive cooperative projects between TJU and the two universities.