On September 27th, Dai Wenzhan, vice president of Zhejiang Gongshang University(ZJSU), met with the University of Sussex delegation, composed of Stephen Shute, professor and vice chancellor of University of Sussex, Leina Shi, head of Global Engagement of University of Sussex and Li Xi, senior administrator of Global Engagement of University of Suseex. Representatives from International Office, Graduate Students Affairs Office and School of Information and Electronic Engineering of ZJSU also attended the meeting.

 

     Dai firstly delivered warm welcome to the University of Sussex delegation and then gave an overview on the development history, scientific research and international cooperation of the university. He pointed that, on the one hand, the cooperation between the two universities in robot, automation system and artificial intelligence(AI) programs meets the needs of social development and educational internationalization in contemporary world. On the other one hand, the academic reputation and strength of both universities would build a solid foundation for the collaboration between the two sides. He believed fruitful achievements would be made if the two sides were making efforts together.

     Professor Stephen expressed his delight for coming to ZJSU and satisfaction with the present collaboration and interaction. He introduced the research programs and advantage discipline of University of Sussex and hoped practical cooperation would be carried out. He said the programs cooperation is in accordance with the new “Five Year”plan and international exchange strategy of University of Sussex.

     After the meeting, Professor Stephen, accompanied by Dai, visited the campus and School of Information and Electronic Engineering. Later a detailed conversation on collaborative operation was unfolded over faculty resource, number and requirements of students recruitment, standards of graduation and degree, financial investment and tuition fee based on the previous cooperation between ZJSU and University of Quebec, Canada. And a preliminary agreement was reached. The visit of vice chancellor gives a push to the launching of collaborative operation of the educational program and the cooperation in other potential areas.

     University of Sussex, founded in 1960s, is an elite university in the UK and in the top 100 of college rankings in the world. University of Sussex takes the third position according to the ranking of The Guardian. It is a short distance away from Brighton, the most vibrant city in the south England. 16,000 students from over 100 countries are in the university and there are more than 2,100 faculty, including 3 Nobel Prize winners and 9 academicians from the British Academy.