On March 6, a delegation led by Professor Shiyi Chen, President of the Eastern University of Technology, Ningbo (EIT) and Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, visited Zhejiang University (ZJU). An inter-university cooperation symposium and signing ceremony were held, during which both institutions, closely aligning with national strategies and their respective development needs, committed to deepening practical cooperation in areas including Party building collaboration, talent cultivation, discipline development, faculty development, scientific research collaboration, internal governance, and mutual exchange and learning.
Scene from the signing ceremony.
Professor Lizhong Wang, Executive Vice President of Zhejiang University, presided over the meeting. Professor Yanming Ma, President of Zhejiang University and Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, attended the meeting and delivered address. Mr. Bo Jin, the Party Committee Secretary of the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, witnessed the signing ceremony. Professor Dongxiao Zhang, Executive Vice President and Provost of the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, briefed attendees on the university's development progress.
Mr. Qiang Fu (front left), Vice Secretary of the Party Committee of ZJU, and Professor Chunmiao Zheng (front right), Vice President of EIT, sign the strategic cooperation agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.
Mr. Qiang Fu, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhejiang University, and Professor Chunmiao Zheng, Vice President of the Eastern University of Technology, Ningbo, signed the strategic cooperation agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.
Professor Qunke Xia, Vice President of Zhejiang University, and Ms. Xuemei Ding, Special Advisor to the President of the Eastern University of Technology, Ningbo, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides for the joint cultivation of doctoral students.
Address by President Shiyi Chen.
President Shiyi Chen expressed his sincere gratitude to Zhejiang University for its warm welcome and strong support. Recalling his time as a student in the Department of Mechanics at Zhejiang University, he stated that as a Zhejiang University alumnus, he has always cherished the nurturing he received from his alma mater. He noted that the university's spirit of "Seeking Truth and Pursuing Innovation" has been deeply integrated into his educational philosophy and practice. He emphasized that EIT, as a new type of research university characterized by "High-Caliber Foundation, Compact yet Distinguished, Research Oriented, Globally Engaged", will continue its exploration in areas such as talent attraction and development, as well as institutional and mechanistic innovation, striving to establish itself as a world-class university with global impact.
He pointed out that while the two universities differ in their histories and scales, they share a profound connection and aligned philosophies. This natural resonance provides a solid foundation for their collaboration. He expressed hope that both sides will deepen integration in talent cultivation, integrate resources in scientific research, and facilitate two-way exchanges in faculty development. Through joint efforts, they can create a model of regional higher education cooperation and development, achieving new milestones in cultivating top-tier talents, building first-class disciplines, and delivering outstanding research outcomes.
Address by President Yanming Ma.
President Yanming Ma stated that Zhejiang University has achieved significant progress in recent years, with its academic standing receiving widespread recognition from peers both domestically and internationally. He outlined the university's future aspiration to build itself into a globally outstanding innovative institution. He highly commended EIT's founding principle of being "born of its era, driven by its mission". He suggested that both universities can deepen collaborative education by integrating high-quality educational resources, cultivating versatile talents equipped with strong theoretical foundations, cutting-edge technical skills, and practical industry thinking. They can promote faculty exchanges, further strengthen outstanding disciplines led by talented individuals, and jointly explore new pathways for discipline development. Enhanced joint research efforts can address industrial challenges, contributing to regional industrial upgrading and economic and social development. By innovating co-construction mechanisms and strengthening regular communication, they can ensure the effective implementation of the cooperation agreements.
He looks forward to both sides translating their cooperative consensus into tangible actions and effective outcomes, continuously achieving breakthroughs in talent attraction and development, joint discipline building, and collaborative projects, thereby contributing to the development of an innovative Zhejiang.
Scene from the symposium.
On the same day, accompanied by President Yanming Ma and Executive Vice President Lizhong Wang, President Shiyi Chen and his delegation toured the Zhejiang University History Museum and the Qiushi Lecture Hall. Responsible individuals from relevant departments of both universities attended the related events.
