In June, a Norwegian delegation led by Toril Johansson, Director of the Higher Education Department at the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, visited Ocean University of China (OUC). The delegation also consisted of Joakim Michael Andrade Bakke, Deputy the Ministry’s Director of Higher Education Department, Annelin Eriksen, Vice-Rector of the University of Bergen (UiB), and representatives from both the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and the Norwegian Embassy in China. OUC President Yu Zhigang received the guests on Laoshan Campus, and the two sides engaged in a discussion about promoting China-Norway cooperation in education and research and establishing a China-Norway Alliance of Marine-Related Institutions.
After extending a warm welcome to the delegation, President Yu said that OUC, as a comprehensive university featuring ocean sciences and fisheries, had gained great support from the Chinese government and achieved significant progress. He pointed out that OUC had taken active part in mutual learning with international partners, guided by the principle of opening up, and had established solid cooperative foundations with Norwegian higher education and research institutions, such as the Sars-Fang Research Center established with UiB. He stressed that there was great room for cooperation in natural sciences such as marine science, fisheries, ocean engineering and marine drugs, and also in social sciences, including law, economics and management. OUC would like to lead Chinese marine-related universities to establish the China-Norway Alliance of Marine-Related Institutions with Norwegian universities, so as to promote cooperation in research and education in marine science, fisheries and ocean engineering. He expressed the hope that the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research could provide great support for this cooperation by establishing a platform for academic research and talent cultivation and conducting substantial and fruitful cooperations, thus promoting the common development of both countries’ marine economies.
Director Johansson expressed her thanks for the warm reception. She said great progress had been made in marine research through the cooperation between Norwegian higher education and research institutions and OUC, a university with good international reputation. She pointed out that with a focus on ocean development, the Norwegian government hoped that its Alliance of Marine-Related Institutions could coordinate with Chinese universities, and the two sides could jointly establish the alliance, which would be promoted, supported and insured by the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.
During the discussion, UiB Vice-Rector Eriksen gave an overview of Norwegian marine strategy, UiB’s development and the Norwegian Alliance of Marine-Related Institutions. Dr. Song Wenhong, Director of OUC’s International Office, gave an introduction to OUC’s development and its strengths in marine-related disciplines, as well as the results and features of its international cooperation and exchange programs. Bothintroductions demonstrated the two institutions’ strengths in marine research and cooperation foundation.
During the discussion, Prof. Zhang Wenbing, Deputy Dean of the College of Fisheries, Prof. Mao Yunxiang, Deputy Dean of the College of Marine Life Sciences, Prof. Dong Bo of the College of Marine Life Sciences, Prof. Liang Bingchen, Deputy Dean of the College of Engineering, and Prof. Guo Peiqing of the School of International Affairs and Public Administration, gave an overview of OUC’s cooperation with Norwegian universities in aquaculture, marine life, ocean engineering and polar research, respectively. Deputy Director Bakke and Dr. Thomas Hansteen, Special Advisor of the Research Council of Norway, gave an introduction to the Norwegian government’s support for and development vision of the marine research and expressed their hope for closer cooperation with OUC in more areas, especially exploring the possibility of joint education and joint application for research programs in the two countries.
Also in attendance were representatives and experts from OUC’s College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, the College of Fisheries, the College of Marine Life Sciences, the College of Engineering, the School of International Affairs and Public Administration, the Division of Science & Technology, the Division of Development & Planning, the Graduate School, the Academic Affairs Office and the International Office. Before the discussion, the Norwegian delegation visited the OUC Institute for Advanced Ocean Study and the Shandong Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering.
Original Article From: http://eweb.ouc.edu.cn/news/list.htm
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