From February 19 to 22, Zhang Yonghui, Vice President of HUST led a delegation to visit Monash University (MU) and the University of Queensland (UQ). The aim was to expand and deepen the inter-university partnerships, with a focus on promoting practical cooperation in medicine-engineering interdisciplinary fields. Additionally, meetings with alumni and talents were held in Melbourne and Brisbane.

At MU, Zhang Yonghui met with Professor Matthew Gillespie, Vice-Provost of MU,  Professor Yiannis Ventikos, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and Professor James Whisstock, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, among others. Matthew Gillespie welcomed the delegation and highlighted the shared strengths of the two universities in medicine and engineering. He expressed his desire to cooperate in establishing long-term and short-term student exchange programs, joint PhD training programs and industrial collaboration initiatives, aiming to develop a comprehensive partnership. Zhang Yonghui expressed his hope to strengthen the existing collaboration in engineering and explore the potential cooperation in medicine and pharmacy. He proposed building a platform for dialogue through methods such as hosting joint seminars and facilitating scholar matchmaking for bilateral collaboration. He also expected to seize the opportunity of developing the Junshan International Campus, co-establish joint laboratories, and accelerate innovative cooperation in Industry-University-Research.

The delegation also met with Professor Peter Ebeling, Dean of the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, as well as Professor Peter Currie, Director of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute. The meetings were followed by several lab tours at the Monash Medical Centre, the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, the Monash Micro Imaging (MMI) and the FishCore, among other facilities.

At UQ, Zhang Yonghui met Rongyu Li, Vice-President (Global Engagement), and Professor Alan Rowan, Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure). Rongyu Li welcomed the delegation and stated that bilateral cooperation had been deepening in recent years. He expected to expand opportunities for practical collaboration, particularly through the initiative of co-establishing a Healthy Aging Institute. Alan Rowan spoke highly of HUST’s disciplinary development and scientific research capabilities in engineering and medicine, expressing his desire to further cooperation between the two universities. He emphasized promoting in-depth, mutually beneficial collaboration through joint institutions and other platforms. Zhang Yonghui noted that UQ is a valued partner of HUST in Australia. He highlighted that health and aging issues are the common concerns for global society, with significant potential for cooperation. He expressed his hope to advance collaboration in medicine-engineering interdisciplinary fields, produce impactful outcomes, and jointly address global challenges.

At the Med-X Roundtable for Academic and Educational Innovation jointly hosted by the two universities, representatives from the Queensland Brain Institute and the Institute of Medical Equipment Science and Engineering of HUST shared their experience in cultivating interdisciplinary talents and collaborating in biology, medicine, and engineering. They also had in-depth discussions on future collaboration. The delegation also visited the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at UQ.

From February 19 to 20, alumni exchange activities were held in Melbourne and Brisbane. Numerous alumni gathered to renew friendships and discuss HUST’s development. Zhang Yonghui addressed the events and presented alumni cards to the representatives. The alumni expressed that HUST is a strong supporter and spiritual home for overseas HUSTers. They pledged to continue supporting HUST’s development and contributing to its growth as a world-class university.

Representatives from HUST’s Office of International Affairs, Tongji Medical College, Alumni Association, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, School of Basic Medicine, School of Public Health, Union Hospital, Tongji Hospital and Institute of Medical Equipment Science and Engineering participated in the event.

Written by: Su Wanxin

Edited by: Ren Xinni, Chang Wen, Peng Yumeng