On the morning of July 12th, James George, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China, visited Shanghai Jiao Tong University. During the visit to the Minhang campus, President Ding Kuiling met with the guests for discussions and exchanges. Also present were Fan Lu, Assistant Resident Representative of UNDP China, Wang Yuhan from the Human Resources Office, and representatives from the UN Sustainable Development Goals series of courses for the university's summer term, including teachers Li Yanhong, Li Ji, and Xiong Ziyin, as well as officials from the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange.

Ding Kuiling warmly welcomed the visit of James George and his delegation. He highly praised the work of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in assisting countries in addressing global and domestic development challenges, particularly the fruitful outcomes achieved through cooperation with China. Ding introduced the university's teaching and research activities in the field of sustainable development and expressed hope that both sides could further enhance cooperation and exchanges on the existing foundation. He aimed to involve more faculty and students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in the global and China-specific initiatives of the UNDP.

James George highly praised the SDG series of public elective courses launched by the university for the summer term (SDG July Camp). He emphasized that these courses provide a platform for global youth to share and exchange knowledge on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), playing an active role in achieving the global development agenda. He mentioned that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) established its office in Beijing in 1979 and collaborates with 23 ministries in China, with projects spanning across 30 provinces. He expressed his anticipation for future deeper cooperation between both sides in multiple areas, aiming to jointly contribute more to sustainable development and human resilience in the future.

The delegation visited Big Zero Bay to gain a deeper understanding of its current operational model and future plans. They discussed possibilities for collaboration in sustainable development innovation.

James George also delivered a lecture titled "SDGs and Reimagining the Climate Agenda" during this visit to Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He engaged directly with faculty and students, presenting the increasingly severe challenges posed by climate change to the world. He reiterated the importance of sustainable development and climate action, encouraging students to envision their roles in advancing the climate agenda and fostering positive community change. The lecture was conducted in a hybrid format, combining both online and offline participation.