On June 28, Shandong University (SDU) and University College Dublin (UCD) cemented their partnership in a ceremony held in Beijing. The event was graced by vice presidents from both institutions, Han Shenghao of SDU and Dolores O'Riordan of UCD, who addressed the gathering.

Han provided an overview of the educational milestones and progress made by SDU. The purpose of this agreement is to encourage both universities to actively engage in academic exchanges across a range of disciplines, including archaeology, business, computer science, history, and chemistry. The ultimate goal is to diversify areas of cooperation, foster innovative collaboration methods, and jointly pioneer a model for Sino-Irish educational and cultural exchanges.

O’Riordan underscored UCD's dedication to fostering collaborations with Chinese universities. She affirmed that this meeting was pivotal to nurturing amicable relations between the two institutions and propelling meaningful cooperation. She voiced her aspiration to bolster personnel exchanges with SDU, deepen mutual understanding, and collectively inaugurate a new era of collaboration and partnership.