From October 27 to 28, a delegation led by Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University (ASU), U.S.A. visited Shandong University. President of SDU Zhang Rong met with the guest and signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement with them. The agreement centers around biodesign and will allow both sides to carry out teacher and student exchanges, scientific research cooperation, curriculum development, academic activities and so forth.

Zhang Rong stated at the meeting that there are many similarities between the two schools in the education scale and research thoughts of industry-university-research cooperation as well as other aspects. He was pleased to see the collaboration of a Biodesign Center in SDU which obtained the support from both Chinese Ministry of Commerce and Qingdao Municipal Government. He hoped President Crow would bring more good news which can benefit both schools’ cooperation after he and his delegation visit Qingdao Campus.

Crow made an introduction to the development concept and scientific research management of ASU’s Biodesign Institute and expressed ASU’s intent to cooperate with SDU in the fields of Biodesign and so forth.

He hoped the two schools will develop collaboration with the beginning of the co-construction of the Biodesign Institute, and that they will launch more cooperative projects. He also expounded his ideas in the cooperation and development of scientific and technological exchange between China and the U.S.

In addition, the delegates paid a visit to Qingdao Campus and had a discussion with the officials of Qingdao Campus Office on the planning and function of Qingdao campus on October 28th. Richard Myers, treasurer of the Arizona Board of Regents, Sethuraman Panchanathan, ASU’s Senior Vice President for Knowledge and Enterprise Development, Denis F. Simon, Senior Advisor for China and Global Affairs, ASU’s Office of the President, and Ms. Wei Lin, Senior Project Manager, ASU’s Office of the President, as well as officials from Investment Promotion Agency of China Ministry of Commerce, Qingdao Municipal Government, SDU’s International Affairs Department, SDU’s Qingdao Campus Construction Office, attended the related activities.

Shandong University and Arizona State University have carried out several rounds of discussions on a cooperative Biodesign Center, and will continue discussions in more details since May, 2014. Moreover, both sides will cooperate in the fields of graduates training project, industry and artistic designing, and traffic.

Source:www.view.sdu.edu.cn