On August 22, the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo (EIT) hosted a delegation from Leiden University in the Netherlands, led by Prof. Jasper Knoester, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Science. Prof. Chunmiao Zheng, Vice President for Global Engagement of EIT, met with the guests, and the two parties signed agreements on undergraduate exchange and joint doctoral training. In-depth discussions were also conducted on further expanding cooperation between the two universities.
The EIT delegation was attended by Academician Zhongchao Tan, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs; Prof. Chuanwu Xi, Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Dean of the School of the Environment and Sustainable Engineering; and Prof. Suhuai Wei, Chair Professor of the College of Science. Ms. Yun Tian, Head of International Cooperation at Leiden University, also attended the meeting.
Prof. Chunmiao Zheng extended a warm welcome to the returning delegation, noting that it had been a year since the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding. He highlighted the significant progress made since then and emphasized the shared commitment of both research-intensive universities to international education and cultivating future innovators with a global perspective. Moving forward, EIT will actively promote student exchanges and joint training in computer science, electronic information, physics, environmental science, and related disciplines. Additional initiatives such as international visiting scholar programs and summer schools will further enhance the partnership.
Prof. Knoester expressed his appreciation for the hospitality and introduced Leiden’s recent developments in industry-academia collaboration, particularly in pharmaceuticals and environmental science. He remarked that he was highly impressed by EIT’s remarkable growth in talent recruitment and research output since his last visit. He looks forward to deepening collaboration in student training, academic research, and faculty exchange to jointly educate top innovative talents and future leaders.
Prior to the meeting, Prof. Knoester and his delegation toured the EIT campus. The signing of this agreement marks a solid step forward in the collaboration between the two universities and opens a new chapter for deeper and more substantive cooperation in the future.
In recent years, EIT has actively pursued international exchange and cooperation, establishing partnerships with world-renowned universities in talent development and academic programs, thereby supporting its development through global engagement.
About Leiden University
Founded in 1575, Leiden University is the first national university in the Netherlands and a leading international research institution in Europe. It has produced numerous distinguished alumni, including 16 Nobel laureates such as Albert Einstein and Hendrik Lorentz, as well as great minds in science and the arts like Christiaan Huygens, René Descartes, Rembrandt, and Baruch Spinoza. Leiden University is a founding member of the League of European Research Universities, alongside institutions such as the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Zurich, and University of Amsterdam. It is also part of the Coimbra Group and Europaeum networks. The university consistently leads Dutch universities in winning the Spinoza Prize and hosts over 40 national and international research institutes. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, Leiden University ranks 119th, while it places 73rd in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
