On the afternoon of October 16, a delegation led by Professor David McGravie, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chester, visited Sichuan University of Science & Engineering (SUSE) to discuss the progress of their ongoing educational partnership.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by Zhang Li, Secretary of the SUSE Party Committee, at Meeting Room 1102 on the Li Baihe Campus. Secretary Zhang noted that this year marks the 60th anniversary of SUSE. He emphasized that high quality international cooperation has long been a priority for the university, and its recent achievements in global engagement have been widely recognized by relevant authorities. The partnership with the University of Chester stands as one such accomplishment. He expressed the university’s warm welcome to international partners and highlighted the importance of regular exchanges to establish a strong foundation for future collaboration.
Subsequently, President Zeng Ying and Vice President Luo Huibo extended a warm welcome to the guests, and the two sides held talks at Meeting Room 9 1, chaired by Vice President Luo.
In her welcome remarks, President Zeng Ying reviewed the friendly cooperation between SUSE and the University of Chester, reaffirming the positive outcomes achieved thus far. She stressed that face to face communication remains the most effective means of bridging distances and deepening mutual trust, fostering stronger partnerships. She added that close collaboration benefits the development of relevant disciplines at both universities. By introducing advanced international educational concepts and quality resources, SUSE can better align with national strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Yangtze River Economic Belt development, and the Chengdu Chongqing economic zone, while promoting the internationalization and diversification of talent cultivation in higher education.
Deputy Vice Chancellor David McGravie, who has visited SUSE on multiple occasions, noted that leadership, faculty, and staff from the University of Chester have all been deeply impressed during their visits and remain confident in the partnership. Through frequent meetings and exchanges, the two institutions have developed not only as professional collaborators but also as trusted friends-a relationship that drives Chester's commitment to advancing cooperation. He also acknowledged SUSE’s strengths built over six decades and expressed hope that both sides could explore distinctive collaborative models within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Vice President Luo Huibo, who has witnessed the development of the partnership, stated that the shared goal is to achieve satisfactory outcomes through joint programs. Such success would invigorate SUSE's educational efforts and enhance international exchanges between the two universities. The long term benefits of collaboration, he added, would elevate both institutions’ educational missions and set an exemplary model for global educational cooperation.
Finally, Li Yongmei, Director of the International Office, presented updates on the joint programs and outlined key tasks moving ahead, followed by an open discussion on related matters.
The meeting was also attended by Liao Yinghua, Director of Academic Affairs; Mao Guoyu, Director of Finance; Zhang Shuquan, Deputy Director of Admissions and Career Services; and Fu Qingshan, Deputy Director of the International Office.
