On March 24th, Professor Zhang Xi, President of Jilin University, met with William Bloss, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, and his delegation. The two sides discussed the joint establishment of Sino-foreign cooperative educational institutions and the deepening of cooperation in talent cultivation and research in relevant academic fields.

Zhang Xi welcomed the visit by William Bloss and his delegation and expressed gratitude for the long-standing support provided by the University of Birmingham in talent cultivation. Zhang Xi briefly introduced Jilin University’s history, disciplinary development, and the construction of high-level research platforms. He stated that a university should be a gathering place for talent, where distinguished scholars lead the way and younger scholars follow in their footsteps, engaging in free and equal exchange, discussion, and even debate. With a rich academic atmosphere and a relaxing academic environment, such a university will naturally become a source of new ideas, discoveries, and innovations. Zhang Xi pointed out that Jilin University’s earth sciences discipline has a long history and has achieved significant results in fields such as deep earth exploration, polar scientific expeditions, and deep space resource research. The university is now home to the State Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Exploration and Imaging and the Xingcheng Field Geology Training Base, providing students with high-level research and practical training platforms. We look forward to strengthening cooperation between the two institutions in the fields of earth sciences and environmental studies, fully leveraging our respective strengths to jointly cultivate young talents with an international perspective and a forward-looking mindset, thereby building a new bridge to promote exchange and cooperation between the two sister cities of Changchun and Birmingham.

William Bloss expressed his gratitude for the hospitality extended by Jilin University and offered his congratulations on the university’s upcoming 80th anniversary. He provided an overview of the University of Birmingham and its recent developments, noting that the focus of this visit was to engage in in-depth dialogue with Jilin University regarding relevant academic disciplines. He spoke highly of Jilin University’s research achievements in these fields and expressed his hope that this visit would further expand substantive cooperation between the two institutions, jointly advancing the partnership to a higher level.

The event was attended by Bian Tie, Vice President of Jilin University, Matt Bridge, Director of Education, College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham; Associate Professor Sun Simiao, Deputy Head of Global Engagement (Education) and Head of International Admissions in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham; as well as representatives of relevant departments from Jilin University, including the Undergraduate School, Office of Global Engagement, College of Earth Sciences, and College of New Energy and Environment.