A Tianjin University (TJU) delegation led by the Party Secretary Professor Liu Jianping visited The University of Queensland (UQ) from November 18 to November 22, 2015. Delegates also included representatives from the Graduate School, Office of Science and Technology, Office of International Cooperation, and the School of International Education.
On November 19, the Tianjin University delegation attended the Confucius Institute’s Five Year Anniversary at The University of Queensland. The University of Queensland’s Chancellor Professor John Story, Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Høj, Provost and Senior Vice-President Professor Max Lu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International) responsible for international affairs Professor Monique Skidmore, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and International) responsible for research and international affairs Professor Anton Middelberg and colleagues from all sectors were invited to attend the anniversary hosted by the Director of the Confucius Institute Professor Chen Ping.
Professor Chen Ping gave an overview of the progress of the Confucius Institute and its fruitful achievements since its foundation. Then Professor Peter Høj, the Vice-Chancellor and President of The University of Queensland and Professor Liu Jianping, the Party Secretary of Tianjin University respectively delivered a speech. Professor Liu Jianping reviewed the achievements obtained in scholarly visits, student exchanges, collaboration on scientific research and other areas between UQ and TJU in recent years. And he conveyed his gratitude to UQ and its executives for their support of the UQ Confucius Institute. He hoped that the two universities could deepen the strategic partnership through the platform of the Confucius Institute and continues to collaborate to achieve mutual benefits. He expressed his expectation that both parties could celebrate many more fruitful achievements in the next Five Year Anniversary of the Confucius Institute.
On the morning of November 20, the delegation presented at the 2015 Annual Board of Directors Meeting of the UQ Confucius Institute. The meeting was hosted by Professor Monique Skidmore, the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Confucius Institute, who is also the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International). In the meeting Professor Chen Ping, the Director of the Confucius Institute gave a thorough lecture on the personnel affairs, financial affairs, teaching, social activities and other aspects of the Confucius Institute during 2015. Both parties actively discussed how they could deepen the collaboration on scientific research and technological transfers within the platform of the Confucius Institute. They reached an agreement on many projects including scholarly visits, teacher exchanges, internships in China for students of UQ and creating global English courses together. After the meeting, the delegation visited the Confucius Institute and further discussed the future development of the UQ Confucius Institute.
On the noon of November 20, the President of UQ Professor Peter Høj hosted a reception for the delegation and held a conferring ceremony which appointed Professor Liu Jianping, the Party Secretary of Tianjin University as an Honorary Professor of The University of Queensland (UQ). With the witness by Professor Max Lu, the Provost and the Senior Vice President - Professor Monique Skidmore, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International) Professor Anton Middelberg, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and International) and Deans of a number of faculties, President Peter Høj issued a Certificate of Honorary Professorship of The University of Queensland to Professor Liu Jianping and spoke highly of Professor Liu Jianping’s outstanding contribution in promoting the two universities’ comprehensive and deep collaboration.
Professor Liu Jianping conveyed his thanks to The University of Queensland and expressed that it was not only tan honor bestowed on him but also a representation of The University of Queensland’s support and recognition of Tianjin University. It also signified the extensive collaboration between two universities and has taken the collaboration to a new height. After the ceremony, both parties signed the Memorandum of Agreement to Construct the China-Australia Synthetic Biology Research Center, the Memorandum of Agreement for the PhD Dual Degree Program between Tianjin University and The University of Queensland) and the Protocol on Confucius Institute Construction at The University of Queensland . Gifts on behalf of each university was then exchanged.
The delegation visited the Chinese Consulate General in Brisbane and met with the Consul General Zhao Yongchen and the Consul Liu Wanliang during this visit. And the delegation also visited the Tianjin University (TJU) teachers, visiting scholars and doctor graduates worked and studied in The University of Queensland (UQ) and took a group photo to mark the occasion.
The University of Queensland (UQ), the first comprehensive university in the state, was established in 1910, and is a founding member of the Group of Eight (Go8) Universities in Australia. It’s one of the largest and the most famous universities in Australia, whose scientific research and academic level rank the frontier of the universities in Australia. And it’s one of the top 100 universities and famous high-level research universities in the world.
