From November 10 to 15, 2024, Yang Zhenbin, Party Secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, led a university delegation to visit Hong Kong, China, and Australia. During the visit, he attended the Hong Kong Alumni Association's 2024 Annual Conference and Council Election Meeting, and in Australia, witnessed the establishment of the new council of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Alumni Association in Australia. The delegation also visited key partner universities in Australia to further strengthen inter-university cooperation.
On November 10, Yang Zhenbin and the delegation arrived in Hong Kong, where they attended the 2024 Annual Conference and Council Election Meeting of the Hong Kong Alumni Association and engaged in warm exchanges with alumni.
On November 12, the delegation visited Monash University in Australia and met with President Sharon Pickering. Both sides renewed the university-level cooperation memorandum and agreed to deepen collaboration in multiple areas. Since 2019, Monash University has been sending groups of students to Shanghai Jiao Tong University for short-term exchange programs. This year, through the Global Immersion Guarantee program, Monash will send 300 students to Shanghai Jiao Tong University for exchange and study. The two universities will also explore the development of student research internship programs based on university-business cooperation.
The delegation attended the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Alumni Forum in Australia and the Inauguration Meeting of the new Alumni Association Council, where they had warm exchanges with alumni in Australia.
On November 13, the delegation visited the University of Melbourne and met with President Duncan Maskell. They renewed the seed fund agreement and signed a supplementary agreement to the joint PhD supervision agreement. During the visit, the delegation held a discussion with current joint PhD students and their advisors to better understand the experiences and concerns of both faculty and students. On the same day, the application process for the seed fund was officially opened.
On November 14, the delegation visited the University of Sydney and met with Vice-Chancellor Emma Johnston. Both sides expressed their anticipation of deepening cooperation in areas such as carbon neutrality and energy transition. The two universities have had years of collaboration in the field of biomedical engineering and will continue to strengthen their ties and advance their cooperation in the future.
On November 15, the delegation visited the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and met with Vice-Chancellor Colin Grant. They renewed the student exchange agreement between the two universities. The two sides discussed the feasibility of establishing the UNSW-SJTU Asian Cultural Studies Hub at UNSW, which would offer language training, cross-cultural competence courses, and other related programs. In addition, they also explored potential cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship, with plans to support startup companies and student entrepreneurial projects from both universities through the Great Zero Bay initiative.
Personnel from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Overseas Alumni Association, the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, the Graduate School, the Alumni Affairs Office, the School of Materials Science and Engineering, the Institute of Translational Medicine, and other relevant departments accompanied the delegation on the visit.