To further expand international cooperation channels, deepen practical collaboration with UK universities, and enhance internationalization, Ms Yu Hongbo, Dean of the International College(IC), Xiamen Unversity(XMU) led a delegation to the UK from September 30 to October 4.

On September 30, the delegation arrived in London and held talks with Lord Jo Johnson, former UK Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation and Chairman of the HAP University Consortium, along with Professor Li LI, Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University, and their international cooperation team. During the meeting, Dean Yu Hongbo briefed Lord Jo Johnson on Xiamen University's contributions to Sino-UK educational and cultural exchanges, as well as the International College's important role in international education cooperation. She stated that IC will continue to advance Sino-UK international educational and cultural exchanges and sincerely invited Lord Johnson to visit Xiamen University at a convenient time.

During the exchange, Dean Yu reiterated her gratitude to Professor Li LI for attending the International Education Forum for Secondary School Principals hosted by the College in June and delivering an expert presentation. She noted that the inclusion of Newcastle University in the list of partner institutions for the UK Higher Education Diploma Programme and the Overseas Study Training Programme has further consolidated the foundation for bilateral cooperation. Going forward, the two sides will enjoy closer interactions and carry forward the long-standing friendship between Xiamen University and Newcastle University.

Subsequently, the delegation held a cordial exchange in London with Professor Bill PENG, Vice Dean of the Business School at the University of Exeter(UE), and Ye Qinghong, a student from IC currently studying at UE. Ye shared that he had been invited to attend a reception for the "China-UK  Youth Mobility Study Tour Pioneering Scheme" hosted by the Chinese Embassy in the UK as a student representative. He expressed his gratitude to the International College of Xiamen University and the University of Exeter for their meticulous cultivation, and stated that he would draw on his own study experience to actively share insights with alumni in both China and the UK, thereby promoting two-way exchanges between the two universities.

At the UK Transnational Education Annual Conference held concurrently, the delegation held in-depth discussions on deepening cooperation with representatives from British universities and research institutions, including Professor Steven McGuire, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia; Dr. Paula Sanderson, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary of Cardiff University, and Ms. Anne Morgan, Director of International Affairs; Professor Dennis WONG, Regional Provost& Group CEO for East and Southeast Asia at Newcastle University, and his international cooperation team; and Dr. Cheryl YU, Head of the UK Transnational Education(TNE) Institute.

On the same day, the delegation also held talks with Professor Robin Banerjee, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex, UK and his international cooperation team. Both sides conducted in-depth consultations on topics including operational models for transnational education, talent cultivation, and China-UK talent exchanges, to further deepen and consolidate the onging cooperation.

On October 1, the delegation visited the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art, where they held discussions with Professor Hua DONG, Director of the Centre, and had a cordial exchange with Ms. Helen Hamlyn, founder of the Centre. Professor Hua DONG gave a detailed introduction to the Royal College of Art and the founding philosophy and original aspirations of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. Dean Yu Hongbo spoke highly of the Centre's educational philosophy and extended a sincere invitation to Professor Hua DONG to visit Xiamen University at an appropriate time and deliver an academic sharing session for students of IC.

On the same day, the delegation also visited University College London, where they exchanged views with Dr. Efrosyni Konstantinou, Associate Professor at the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, exploring potential avenues of cooperation in design, business ethics, and the development of short-term programmes.

On October 2, the delegation visited the University of Sussex. Professor Robin Banerjee, Vice-Chancellor of the University, specially attended the roundtable between the delegation and students from IC studying at the University, joining the delegation in gaining a detailed understanding of the students' academic and daily life as well as their future development plans, and listening carefully to their opinions and suggestions on programme and project development. Subsequently, the delegation also held in-depth exchanges of views with Mr. Marcus Williams, Director of Admissions and International Development at the University of Sussex, and other department heads, focusing on topics such as deepening inter-university cooperation and enhancing the student experience of collaborative programmes.

During this visit to the United Kingdom, the delegation actively engaged with top-tier resources in UK higher education, consolidated existing inter-university partnerships, and explored new growth areas for cooperation in art and design. Meanwhile, by meeting overseas alumni and collecting on-site feedback on institutional operations, the delegation has provided solid support for improving the quality and efficiency of the college’s UK-focused collaborative programmes. Moving forward, the college will continue to deepen its cooperation with the UK and European regions. It will coordinate the quality upgrading of ongoing programmes and the development of new initiatives, continuously diversify the forms and levels of collaboration, consolidate its multi-country and multi-dimensional international education features, and strive to cultivate more high-calibre talents with a global vision.