Andrew J Deeks accompanied by the University Management Team visited SCAU. President Chen Xiaoyang, Vice President Chen Zhiqiang, Vice President Lu Huazhong, Vice President Liao Ming, Vice President Xian Chunlong and Chief Accountant Jiang Yuyan, extended their warmest welcome to the guests and hold a reception meeting in Hometown Hall hosted by Vice President Liao Ming.
On behalf of all the staff and students, President Chen Xiaoyang gave an opening remark to greet the guests from Ireland. He expressed that SCAU attaches great importance to international exchange contributing to not merely developing cooperation with oversea countries to carry out courses but also cultivating international students in a multi-channel way, putting emphasis on internationalization of scientific researches. In recent years, SCAU has built up many relationships and much cooperation with about 100 universities in 25 countries from five continents. Our cooperation with UCD has reached a fifth year. During this time, we have built a solid foundation of cooperation and developed a series of influential collaborations. Thanks to the efforts of both sides, the bioscience, an undergraduate major whose class formally commenced in 2013 was approved by Ministry of Education of China. President Chen Xiaoyang said that he hoped that the President Deeks’ first visit to SCAU could promote better understanding, develop deeper and wider cooperation and open a new chapter of student cultivation and scientific research cooperation between both universities.
President Liao Ming and President Deeks made an introduction to the general situation of two universities respectively, including historical development, faculty quality, discipline construction, platform construction, scientific research, personnel cultivation, international student education as well as international exchange. President Chen Xiaoyang expressed his wish to the cooperation, suggesting both sides should build a strategic and cooperative partnership and extend the fields of cooperation comprehensively. President Deeks responded warmly to President Chen’s suggestions. He said the beautiful scenery of SCAU impressed him a lot. The reason why he visited SCAU with his delegation is that he wanted to learn more about SCAU, explore more cooperative fields and establish a long-term partnership. And he was looking forward to the mutual development in the near future. At the end of the meeting, President Chen and President Deeks exchanged souvenirs and took group photos as representatives of their own universities.
After the meeting, President Deeks and other guests visited the College of Life Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Economics and Management, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Food Science, College of Agriculture as well as the National Key Laboratory. Knowing the information about the advantaged scientific researches and the construction of scientific research platform of SCAU, they discussed the feasibility of the cooperation in scientific research and the detailed approach and mode.
In 2013, the bioscience joint-program by SCAU and UCD was approved and 28 students were admitted. At the College of Life Sciences, President Deeks and his colleagues had a lively discussion with the 28 students in English. Vice President Liao Ming said that SCAU thought highly of the joint-educational program and had given special support to the curriculum design and teacher arrangement. After a period of time of exploration, SCAU and UCD have known each other better and explored efficient ways to cultivate students and link their interest with further development. In the future, SCAU would further revise curriculum design based on the actual situation and it was hoped that UCD could provide more favorable conditions for the students. Meanwhile, SCAU also hoped the program would attain great success and provide Chinese students with more study opportunities, and there would be more collaboration between both sides in the future.
The whole discussion and visiting was participated in by Ma Jun, Director of President’s Office, Yu Rangcai, Director of Office of International Relations, Pen Xinxiang, Standing Vice Dean of the Graduate School, Huang Daqian, Director of Office of Academic Affairs, Yan Huichao , Deputy director of the National Key Laboratory, Deng Yiqun, Dean of College of Life Sciences, Yang Zhou, Dean of College of Engineering, Liu Yahong, Dean of VCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Liu Changwei, Deputy director of Office of Science and Technology, Feng Lixin, Deputy Director of Office of International Relations, Xiang Hong, Dean of College of Food Science and Wang Chengshu, Vice Dean College of Agriculture.
Source: the International Office
