From October 19 to 24, at the invitation of local partners, Deputy Party Secretary Zhao Xin led a Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) delegation to Vienna and Prague. Accompanying him were representatives from the Academic Affairs Office, the Office of International Cooperation & Exchange, and the Student Guidance Committee. The group called on UN agencies, leading universities and enterprises, met interns and seconded officials, and joined alumni events.
From October 19 to 22, the delegation carried out a series of exchange activities at the Vienna International Centre in Austria. They visited the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations in Vienna, where they met with Minister-Counselor Liu Guanghui to learn about China’s participation in international rulemaking and dialogue within the UN system in Vienna. They discussed potential channels for research collaboration and talent development between Chinese universities and international organizations.
The delegation also visited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and met with Deputy Director General Mikhail Chudakov, Director of Human Resources Peter Fröbel, and Director of the Department of Nuclear Energy’s Planning, Information, and Knowledge Management Division Huang Wei. They held in-depth discussions on topics such as degree programs and educational training in the field of nuclear energy, and visited the Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Centre (NSTDC) at Seibersdorf to observe leading global practices in nuclear security capacity building.
At the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the delegation met with Deputy Director Driss El Hadani and exchanged views on projects such as “Space4Water”—which leverages space technology to address water resource challenges—as well as on student internship opportunities.
During the visit to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the delegation met with Deputy Director General Zou Ciyong and heads of divisions including the AI and Digital Transformation Division, Energy and Climate Division, SME Development Division, Circular Economy and Green Development Division, and the Industrial Policy and Capacity Building Division. Both sides discussed collaboration on digital transformation, green growth, industrial policy labs, blue economy, and energy and climate action, reaching consensus on next steps for multidisciplinary cooperation.
The delegation also visited the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and held talks with Senior Legal Officer Samira Musayeva, discussing topics such as student internships and participation in the UNCITRAL case law database.
From October 23 to 24, the delegation continued their visit in Prague, Czech Republic. They met with Chargé d’Affaires Zuo Wenxing at the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic, discussing academic cooperation between Chinese and Czech higher education institutions, and visited SJTU’s seconded official Jiang Yupeng, who is serving at the embassy. Zuo expressed sincere gratitude to SJTU for its strong support in selecting and sending outstanding staff for overseas assignments.
At the University of Finance and Administration (VSFS) in Prague, the delegation met with Vice Chairman of the Board Emil Šenkýř and Vice Rector Petr Budinský to discuss joint educational programs and explore opportunities to deepen cooperation, particularly in the context of SJTU’s upcoming 130th anniversary. They also visited the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague.
The delegation then visited the CITIC Europe headquarters, where they met with Deputy General Manager Li Jing. Both parties discussed talent needs of Chinese enterprises expanding overseas and pathways for student internships abroad, and agreed to strengthen collaboration in joint training and student employment.
During their stay in Austria and the Czech Republic, the delegation also met with SJTU students interning at international organizations and local alumni. They hosted the “Thinking Source, Reaching Far: SJTU’s 130-Year Legacy” global alumni event, which aimed to strengthen emotional ties and resource connections between the university and its alumni worldwide.
This visit has significantly advanced SJTU’s cooperation with Austria and the Czech Republic in fields such as global competence cultivation, international organization engagement, and higher education collaboration. It represents an important initiative in supporting China’s diplomatic efforts, advancing SJTU’s internationalization strategy, and accelerating the development of a world-class university with Chinese characteristics.
Report & photos: Ge Yang
Translated by: Rebecca
Proofread by: Rebecca
