Vice-President Dr. Cai Yonglian Leads a Delegation to Visit SBC Partner Universities

From June 18 to 22, Dr. Cai Yonglian，Vice President of USST, was invited to lead a delegation for a 5-day visit to SBC partner universities in the U.K. The partner universities included: Liverpool John Moors University, the University of Leeds, the Rhodesfield University, the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. The purpose of this visit was to explore the possibilities to further expand the dual-degree undergraduate program, and to seek common grounds in a wide variety of areas, such as: student exchanges, faculty visits, research collaboration and dual-degree master programs.
The delegation first went to John Moore University in Liverpool. During the visit, both sides conducted extensive discussions in such fields as the education of engineering majors, innovation and entrepreneurship education, and the joint development of international laboratories. On the basis of in-depth and friendly negotiations, both sides signed a new cooperation agreement to expand and improve the current talent cultivation program.

The delegation then visited the University of Leeds. The two sides held preliminary talks on student exchanges, research collaboration and language education. As one of the nine British partners of SBC, the University of Leeds began to have SBC faculty and students join its summer session this year.

During the visit to University of Huddersfield, both sides held in-depth discussions in the field of joint programs, student exchanges and research collaboration, and signed a new cooperation agreement. Back in 2005, both sides began to have a joint program in the subject of Event Management. The program began its first enrollment in 2006 and has had more than 1500 graduates as of 2018.

During the visit to the University of Sheffield, Dr. Malcolm Butler, Vice President who is in charge of international affairs, presented to the visitors an overall introduction to the university. Both sides signed an agreement on student exchange. As early as 2010, both sides already had their joint program on the subject of Business Management. The program first enrolled students in 2011 and more than 250 students have graduated from the program and some of them have gone on to become top world business talent. During the visit, both sides also discussed the possibilities of having a joint program in the field of engineering.

For the last stop, the delegation visited Sheffield Hallam. During the visit, both sides held in-depth discussions on the joint program, student exchanges, faculty visits and research collaboration. The delegation also visited its Business School and the School of Arts. In 2016, both sides began their joint program on the subject of Business Management.

The visit further consolidated the exchange and collaboration between SBC and its five partner universities, paved the way for future cooperation in undergraduate education in the field of business management and engineering, and expanded the collaboration in student exchange, faculty visits, joint research and dual-degree master programs.