A delegation from the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) visited Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) from May 14 to 15. The delegation was led by Professor Lisa Zamberlan, Pro Vice-Chancellor International, and Professor Patricia M. Davidson, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow. The visitors were received by Zhan Yiqing, a member of the University Standing Committee and Vice President of HUST.
Delegation Activities
The institutions conducted a plenary meeting during the visit, initiated a Seed Fund Initiative, engaged in academic exchanges at multiple school and departmental levels, and toured various laboratories.
Plenary Meeting Highlights
In the plenary meeting, Vice President Zhan highlighted the importance of UNSW Sydney as a significant partner for HUST in Australia. Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding the previous year to establish a Joint Center and the launch of a Joint Research Seed Fund, progress in collaboration has been noted. Zhan expressed the intent to enhance this partnership further through initiatives such as expanding joint research centers, developing educational programs, organizing summer schools, and hosting international academic conferences to address health and sustainable development challenges in both countries.
Recognition of Hospitality and Future Collaboration
Professor Zamberlan acknowledged the hospitality extended by HUST during the visit. She noted the mutual trust and friendship that have developed over the past year, serving as a foundation for increased cooperation. She mentioned that UNSW’s forthcoming Health Translation Hub is well aligned with HUST’s Junshan International Campus, which emphasizes interdisciplinary development in health and life sciences. There is optimism that both universities can leverage their respective strengths to advance collaborative research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and educational partnerships in the health sector.
Engagement in Medical Sciences
Representatives from both universities’ health data science, nursing, public health, and ophthalmology departments, along with international offices, engaged in discussions aimed at identifying pathways for cooperative ventures in medical sciences.
Seed Fund Project Outcomes
The outcomes of the 2024 Seed Fund projects were reviewed, and a ceremony was held to launch the 2025 Seed Fund. Vice President Zhan and Pro Vice-Chancellor Zamberlan signed the 2025 UNSW – HUST Strategic Partnership Research Seed Fund Scheme.
Campus Tours and Collaborative Opportunities
Throughout their visit, UNSW representatives toured HUST’s International Education and Scientific Innovation Campus, also known as Junshan International Campus, and the Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics. Discussions were also held regarding collaborative opportunities with the School of Computer Science, School of Nursing, School of Public Health, and Tongji Hospital.
About UNSW Sydney
UNSW Sydney, founded in 1949, is recognized as one of the leading public research universities worldwide, ranking 19th in the QS World University Rankings for 2025. The partnership between HUST and UNSW, initiated in 2024, encompasses joint centers, seed funding, semester exchanges, and a range of joint training programs.
(Original source: Huazhong University of Science and Technology)
