President DU Jiangfeng leads a delegation to visit Europe

From November 16 to 21, DU Jiangfeng, President of Zhejiang University, led a delegation on a tour of European universities, including the University of Oslo in Norway, KU Leuven and Ghent University in Belgium. This visit marks the beginning of a new phase of cooperation across various dimensions.

The first leg of this visit took the delegation to the University of Oslo, where they met with Rector Svein Stølen and a select group of distinguished professors. Both sides conducted a comprehensive review of collaborative achievements in humanistic and social sciences in the past decade. They advocated for sustained collaboration in talent cultivation and interdisciplinary innovation through the jointly established “the Sino-Norwegian Centre for the Study of Society and Environment”. The aim was to enhance mutual understanding and trust while exploring innovative paths to address global challenges. Du Jiangfeng and Svein Stølen formalized this commitment by signing a memorandum of understanding for the new round of inter-university cooperation.

The delegation’s next destination was KU Leuven, where they met with Vice Rector International Policy, Interculturality, and Alumni Policy Peter Lievens, Vice Rector of the Science, Engineering and Technology Group Gerard Govers, and Vice Rector of Research Policy Jan D’Hooge. DU Jiangfeng and Peter Lievens signed a memorandum of understanding on the new round of cooperation. Both sides expressed their anticipation to deepen collaboration in the field of circular economy and expand exchanges in biomedical sciences, engineering technology, materials, and energy. The delegation vistied the KU Leuven Research & Development-Tech Transfer Office, gaining insights into the university’s innovative practices in technology transfer, innovation and entrepreneurship, and industry-academia-research collaboration.

In the afternoon, DU Jiangfeng, on behalf of the Association of University Presidents of China (AUPC), conducted a video meeting with Kurt Deketelaere, Secretary-General of the League of European Research Universities (LERU). Both sides expressed optimism about the prospects of cooperation between Chinese and European university alliances. They looked forward to leveraging university alliances through a series of mechanisms such as dialogues, seminars, joint statements, and initiatives to strengthen ties in youth exchange, cultural understanding, policy influence, and sustainable development. 

At Ghent University, DU Jiangfeng met with Rector Rik Van de Walle, as well as representatives from the Technology Transfer Office, the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering. Both sides lauded the collaborative achievements in talent cultivation and joint research in recent years, highlighting the pivotal role of open collaboration in fostering technological innovation. They expressed a shared aspiration to accelerate the establishment of joint doctoral training programs, facilitate the creation of joint research centers, and join hands in addressing common challenges facing humanity.

At the Chinese Embassy in Belgium, DU Jiangfeng delivered a lecture titled “Quantum Perception of the World - Quantum Computing and Precision Measurement.” He delved into three key areas: quantum computing, quantum precision measurement, and the quantum science instrument industry. He summarized the team’s endeavors, stressing that researchers should earnestly fulfill the mission of publishing impactful work within the homeland and actively contribute to achieving top-notch technological autonomy.

During the visit to Europe, the delegation also convened with local alumni in Munich, Berlin, Oslo, and Brussels. Besides, they engaged in targeted discussions with esteemed institutions such as Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt University, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, RWTH Aachen University, Heidelberg University, the University of Göttingen, the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development at EU. These interactions aimed at deepening practical cooperation in various interdisciplinary fields.