From September 24 to 30, Prof. Tian Hui, Chairman of the University Council, led a delegation to the Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Polytech Nantes, Polytech Nice Sophia, and the Institut de France, to promote in-depth cooperation with these institutions. 

During its visit to the Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, the delegation held talks with Prof. Gerrit Lohmann and other leaders and experts, and signed an MoU with the center. Prof. Tian Hui emphasizes that the two sides have established a deep friendship through long-term cooperation and achieved fruitful results in talent cultivation and scientific research. The signing of the MoU marks a new starting point for this partnership. He hopes that the two sides can deepen cooperation in fields such as climate modeling, organic geochemistry, marine geology, and sea ice remote sensing, and produce more influential results. The delegation visited the Sedimentology Laboratory and the MICADAS Radiocarbon Dating System Laboratory, participated in the center’s annual Science Week, and had discussions with OUC students studying at the center. 

During its visit to Polytech Nates, the delegation was warmly received by Prof. Philippe Dépincé, dean of the institute, and had a meeting with experts and scholars. The two sides reviewed the fruitful results achieved since the signing of the agreement in 2013 to establish the Sino-French Engineering Education Research Center and carry out the Outstanding Engineer Joint Training Program. Prof. Tian Hui emphasizes that the joint training program not only deepens talent cultivation, but also promotes exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in multiple academic fields such as information science and engineering. He hopes that continuous efforts could be made in deepening cooperation in the future. The delegation also visited OUC students in the joint training program.

During its visit to Polytech Nice Sophia, the delegation had discussions with Prof. Marc Gaetano and other experts about joint student training in fields such as bioengineering and computer science. Prof. Tian Hui expressed his expectations for closer cooperation between the two sides in talent cultivation, scientific research, and technological innovation.

During its visit to the Institut de France, the delegation had discussions with Academician Jacques Rougerie, Academician Didier Bernheim, Prof. Francis Vallat, Chairman of the 

Cluster Maritime Français, and Ms. Chen Yan, Chairman of the Sino-French Association for Research and Development of the Arts and Sciences. Academician Jacque Rougerie pointed out that the since its establishment, the Institut de France has had continuous exchanges with China, and the two sides have great prospects for cooperation in the marine-related fields. Prof. Tian Hui expressed his expectations for close partnership between the two sides in promoting the SeaOrbiter program, so as to make new contributions to enhancing the friendship between China and France and deepening the cooperation between the two countries in the marine research, and marine culture and art.

The delegation also visited the Chinese  Embassy in France and held talks with Minister Counselor Zhou Jiagui.