From November 30 to December 3, Sun Youhong, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of SEU, led a delegation on a visit to Australia. The 

delegation engaged in exchanges at Monash University and the University of Technology Sydney, met with officials from the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney, and 

visited local alumni as well as faculty and students in Australia. This visit further deepened China-Australia educational and technological cooperation, advancing SEU’s 

initiatives in high-level cooperative education, scientific research collaboration and innovation, as well as joint talent cultivation.

SEU President Sun Youhong and Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President Sharon Pickering co-chaired the Management Committee meeting of the Southeast 

University-Monash University Joint Graduate School (Suzhou). The two sides conducted in-depth discussions on the development of dual-master’s programs at the Joint 

Graduate School, collaborative doctoral cultivation, and mechanisms for scientific research collaboration. A consensus has been reached on the future development direction 

of the Joint Graduate School.

The Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School (Suzhou), established in 2012, is China’s first China-foreign joint graduate school. President Sun 

Youhong highlighted that through their collaboration in Suzhou, they created China’s first joint graduate school, achieving a series of fruitful results in talent cultivation 

and scientific research and forging a profound partnership. He stated that both institutions should seize opportunities and move forward together, focusing on building 

future-oriented emerging interdisciplinary disciplines; cultivating global-leading talents by establishing a comprehensive joint undergraduate-master’s-doctoral college 

that emphasizes both research and teaching; addressing global health challenges by jointly establishing high-quality research and innovation platforms in the field of 

medical sciences; setting up joint academic cooperation funds, creating distinctive student exchange programs, and developing a number of brand projects with 

international visibility and influence, thereby elevating substantive cooperation between the two universities to new heights.

Following the meeting, both parties signed a joint undergraduate 2+2 training agreement and a letter of intent for collaboration on a Global Immersive Learning Experience 

Program, laying the foundation for expanding talent cultivation pathways.

During the visit, President Sun Youhong was invited to attend the China-Australia Scholars Innovation Forum andthe Annual Academic Meeting ofthe Carbon Neutrality 

Universities Alliance, where he delivered a speech. In his address, he introduced the progress of China’s “Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality” initiatives and SEU’s 

disciplinary strengths and research advancements in serving the national strategy. He called on participating experts and scholars to actively promote pragmatic 

cooperation in the field of carbon neutrality, fostering mutual trust, connectivity, shared benefits, and win-win outcomes. He emphasized leveraging thestrength of higher 

education to collectively address the climate change crisis and energy challenges.

At the University of Technology Sydney, President Sun Youhong met and exchanged views with the UTS’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Innes Ireland. Both sides exchanged ideas on 

exploring potential collaborations in cooperative education, talent cultivation, and scientific research. President Sun Youhong expressed his hope that both universities would 

focus on their respective strengths in fields such as computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, water resources, new energy, and carbon neutrality to promote 

joint talent cultivation and collaborative innovation. He proposed planning the establishment of a high-level international joint laboratory to enhance the capacity and level of 

scientific research cooperation.

The delegation also paid a special visit to the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney, where they held discussions with Consul General Wang Yu on deepening university 

cooperation between China and Australia and promoting talent exchanges. President Sun Youhong briefed on SEU’s cooperation achievements with Australia, stating that the 

university would continue to expand the breadth and depth of its collaborations with top Australian universities and actively integrate into the global innovation network.

During their stay in Australia, President Sun Youhong also met with renowned experts, scholars, and professionals, engaging in exchange discussions with alumni and young 

scholars in Melbourne and Sydney.

Officials from SEU’s Graduate School, the Office of International Cooperation, and the School of Energy and Environment, SEU, accompanied the delegation on the visit.

Source: International Cooperation Department, SEU

Translated by: Melody Zhang

Proofread by: Gao Min

Edited by: Li Xinchang