SCAU President Liu Yahong and Ambassador H.E. Ann Derwin exchanged gifts
On May 10, Irish Ambassador to China H.E. Ann Derwin with a delegation visited South China Agricultural University(SCAU) and met with Liu Yahong, the President of SCAU. The delegation visited the the History Museum of SCAU, and Guangzhou Dublin International College of Life Sciences and Technology(GDIC), and attended the GDIC opening ceremony.
The delegation includes Joseph Keating, Counsellor for Trade, Commerce, Science and Technology and Innovation of the Irish Embassy in China, Peter Yang, Manager of the Beijing Office of the Irish Trade and Science Bureau and Director of the Irish Education Promotion Agency, Ciarán James Breen, Director of the Cultural Department, Kate Zhang, Trade Officer, and representatives of the University of Dublin, Ireland. Prof.Deng Yiqun and QiuRongliang, both vice presidents of SCAU, with heads of Office of International Relations, GDIC accompanied the visit.
The Meeting Site
During the talks, Liu Yahong warmly welcomed the ambassordor and her delegation, and expressed the sincere gratitude to the Irish Embassy in China for its long-term concern and support for SCAU. Liu introduced the history of SCAU as a double first-class university, and pointed out that the university will continue to support GDIC as a model of Sino-Irish cooperative institution.We will continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with the Irish Embassy in China and Irish universities, and make greater contributions to promoting Sino-Irish educational exchanges and enhancing the friendship between the two peoples, Liu Yahong said.
The ambassador said that China and Ireland has been cooperating well in trade, economics, culture and education. Ireland is one of the leading countries in the world in life sciences, food industry, and it is home to a large number of multinational companies. We very much welcome graduates of GDIC, who have received high-quality international education and can start their international career in Ireland with opportunities. She said that Ireland hopes to continue to expand exchanges with China, to promote bilateral and multilateral agricultural cooperation, giving an impetus to the global food security and international agricultural cooperation.
A memorial tree for China-Ireland friendship has been planted
The ambassador posed a group photo with the teachers and students of GDIC
"Welcome to GDIC"! In the front of GDIC building, teachers and students from GDIC held the flags of China and Ireland to warmly welcome the arrival of the visiting delegation. The two sides jointly planted a phoenix tree which symbolizes the enduring friendship between China and Ireland.
The Opening Ceremony of GDIC
President Liu Yahong deliverd a speech
As the first Sino-foreign cooperative institution of SCAU, GDIC has been established for three years. With the goal of cultivating senior talents who will contribute to the country with international vision and competitiveness, GDIC has been adhering to the concept of complementary advantages, resource sharing and mutual benefit, forming an integration-reconstruction-innovation cooperative education model said Liu Yahong in her speech, adding that the students will grow into defenders of international order and world peace, contributors to global development and human progress, as well as the common prosperity of world civilization and the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Ambassador H.E. Ann Derwin deliverd a speech
"Hello, everyone! I'm Ann Derwin, the Irish Ambassador to China, and I'm very happy to come to GDIC"! She greeted in Chinese and added that the Irish Embassy in China, the Irish Education Promotion Agency and other institutions will always be committed to supporting GDIC and its teachers and students. She encouraged the students to study hard, spend a good and enjoyable time at GDIC, and grow into international talents recognized by the qualifications of the two countries.
Deng Yiqun, Vice President of SCAU, Li Jinjun, Director of Office of Communication and Cooperation of Department of Education of Guangdong Province, Feng Lixin, Dean of GDIC, Paul Fanning, Provost of GDIC, Dr. Antony Twamley and Shi Lexuan, the staff and student representative of GDIC respectively spoke at the opening ceremony, and jointly expressed their best wishes for the development of GDIC.
Wind Music Performance by GDIC students
Scarf Awarding Ceremony
H.E. Ann Derwin and the delegation visited the History Museum of SCAU
GDIC, a non-independent legal entity jointly declared by SCAU and University of Dublin, Ireland, stands as a Sino-foreign cooperative institution. It is reported that in 2012 SCAU and University of Dublin cooperated on a biological science undergraduate education program China-Ireland Class; in 2018, Sean O Fearghail, then Speaker of the Irish House of Representatives, led a delegation to visit SCAU; in 2019, the two sides officially signed a Sino-foreign cooperative institution agreement; in the same year, Joe McHugh, the Minister of Education and Skills led a delegation to visit SCAU; in 2020, the Ministry of Education of China agreed to set up GDIC, which provides undergraduate programs of biological science, food quality and safety, horticulture, and there are 500 students.
