From May 16th to 21st, Nanjing Medical University President Chen Qi and a delegation toured the UK's University of Manchester, then Sweden's Karolinska Institute and University of Gothenburg. The delegation represented the NMU Institute of Technology, College of Basic Medicine, Office of Academic Affairs, International Exchange & Cooperation, and the Department of Pathophysiology, and took the opportunity to discuss issues such as student exchange, university cooperation, standardized patient training, postdoctoral research cooperation, and staff training. At each university a written agreement and mutual recognition of credits was signed.
During their visit to the University of Manchester, President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, Dean of the Department of Life Sciences Martin Humphries, vice president Ian Roberts, as well as China's Deputy Consul General Mr. Zhou Haicheng met with President Chen and the delegation. The Deputy Consul General offered his support and appreciation to the universities for their cooperation efforts in teaching and research. Prof Humphries gave an overview of the University of Manchester's 190 years of history, including its recent developments, the 28 Nobel laureates accredited to the university, and its further research and teaching methods and strengths, especially expressing the desire to cooperate with NMU in these areas. President Chen also introduced NMU history, development and achievements from recent years. Both parties discussed the means of jointly training their students, conducting scientific research and faculty training cooperation. President Chen and Prof Humphries then signed a "mutual recognition of credits” for the '2+2' programme now offered to NMU Biotechnology and Manchester University Biology students. The delegation were given an extended tour of Manchester University's basic and clinical teaching areas and research centre.
The delegation then proceeded to Sweden and were welcomed by Sweden's Karolinska Institute Vice President Kerstin Tham, Director of International Education and Medical Undergraduate Training, Professor Jan Carlstedt Duke, head of international cooperation projects Ms Lotta Lundqvist, and Kristina Burstrom, an associate professor with research links to NMU. The two parties briefed each other on the history and prospects of each university. Professor Jan Carlstedt-Duke also mentioned the five undergraduate and graduate students recently sent by NMU to study at the university. The Sweden Karolinska Institute ranks top ten globally for the number of Nobel Prizes in medicine and physiology attributed to its research, undertakes more than half of Sweden's medical research, and is renowned for its academic quality. The Karolinska Institute hopes that the two universities can further cooperate in research, and better train their research professionals.
During President Chen's visit to the University of Gothenburg, he was welcomed by, Professor Eric Hanse, Pro-Dean of the Department of Physiology, and Director of International Cooperation Professor Gunnar Tobin. Both parties reviewed their recent cooperation and exchange successes, renewed their agreement of cooperation, and conducted in-depth talks on how to best exploit Europe's foremost research centre in the areas of translational medical research, dental implant technology, and materials research and development technology, so as to further promote NMU's translational medical research and oral medical training. The two parties also expressed their intentions to further cooperate in nursing training and clinical pharmacy research. After the meeting, the delegation toured the university's clinical centre and biomedical laboratories.
These visits intimated closer partnerships between our university and these three world-renowned universities, and indicating NMU”s continued development in terms of teaching, research, faculty training through international cooperation and exchanges, thereby improving the its academic standard and expanding its international influence.
Reported by: Office of International Exchange & Cooperation
Translated by: Tao Hua
Edited by: Rosalind Ochengo
