On January 11, a delegation led by DING Kuiling, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, visited Henan University (HENU), where the two institutions signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The symposium brought together leaders from both institutions. Representatives from Shanghai Jiao Tong University included Vice Presidents JIANG Xinghao and ZENG Xiaoqin, Academician ZHANG Wanbin, and heads of 12 functional departments and schools. The HENU delegation comprised President ZHANG Suojiang; LI Ping, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee; Vice Presidents MIAO Yuchen, ZHANG Ligang, XUE Bo, BAI Ying and heads from relevant units.

ZHANG Suojiang extended a warm welcome to President DING Kuiling and his delegation, and spoke highly of the outstanding achievements of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He noted that the “Shanghai Jiao Tong University Experience” in educational philosophy innovation and scientific research offers valuable insights for HENU’s development.

ZHANG Suojiang emphasized that HENU is currently embracing three major strategic opportunities: first, the policy support provided by Henan’s “Double First-Class” strategy for higher education; second, the new demands placed on educational concepts and talent cultivation models by the technological and industrial revolution, which align closely with the essence of HENU’s motto; and third, the upcoming national “Double First-Class” initiative, which injects strong momentum for HENU’s breakthrough development. Facing these opportunities, HENU continues to strengthen its foundations while building a “9+3” strategic layout for Emerging Engineering Education, forming an interdisciplinary ecology in which humanities, sciences, engineering, and medicine develop in synergy. In 2025, HENU achieved significant progress: breakthroughs emerged in top-tier international research, the number of national key laboratories doubled, reforms in educational and teaching models deepened, and HENU was successfully selected as one of the first “Pilot Institutions for Comprehensive Reform of Higher Education” by the Ministry of Education.

To further promote inter-university cooperation, he proposed three suggestions: first, establish a regular communication mechanism; second, carry out comprehensive strategic cooperation; third, prioritize the development of core strategic areas. He expressed hope that the agreement would serve as a new beginning, enabling both universities to exemplify the mission and responsibility of “Double First-Class” institutions in advancing China’s vision of becoming an education powerhouse, and to contribute further to the growth of higher education with Chinese characteristics.

DING Kuiling expressed gratitude for the longstanding care and support from HENU, and commended HENU’s reform determination. He pointed out that these initiatives are closely aligned with national development strategies and provide a solid foundation for HENU’s high-quality development. He reviewed Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s history and highlighted that the spirit of “striving for strength”, the enduring drive for “reform”, and the philosophy of “talent cultivation” have always been integral to the university’s development. He expressed hope that the two universities would leverage this agreement to deepen cooperation in talent cultivation and collaborative research, thereby contributing to the development of Henan’s modern industrial system and its new quality productive forces.

Witnessed by leaders from both sides, ZENG Xiaoqin and XUE Bo signed the Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Henan University on behalf of their respective institutions. Both sides will deepen their collaboration to advance their “Double First-Class” initiative, elevate education and research standards, and achieve integrated, coordinated growth.

JI Bo offered a warm welcome and sincere appreciation to the visiting delegation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He recalled the shared historical origins and the deepening friendship between the two universities in recent years, noting that both HENU and Shanghai Jiao Tong University were founded with a mission to strengthen the nation and have made important contributions to China’s higher education.

JI Bo emphasized that HENU is currently advancing comprehensive reforms in a coordinated manner and that the experience of Shanghai Jiao Tong University provides valuable insights for HENU’s development. The visit of President DING and his delegation provided a valuable opportunity for mutual learning and exchange.

He emphasized that enhanced cooperation between the institutions is a major strategic initiative for the future, dedicated to the development of Central China. By providing this strong support, Shanghai Jiao Tong University exemplifies the commitment of a premier university to the progress of higher education in Central China. He expressed hope that the signing of the agreement would pave the way for in-depth collaboration in joint scientific research and shared talent cultivation. This cooperation would support Henan’s role in advancing Chinese modernization and promote a robust, modern education system.

During the meeting, both sides also held discussions on discipline development, scientific research, talent recruitment and cultivation, faculty capacity building, and university-region collaboration.