On March 23, a delegation led by Tang Tian, Vice-Provost of the University of Alberta, visited Henan University (HENU) for exchanges and discussions. The two sides held in-depth talks on topics such as deepening inter-institutional cooperation and expanding academic exchanges. Zhang Suojiang, President of HENU, met with the delegation and delivered a speech. Bai Ying, Vice President of HENU, and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

Zhang Suojiang extended a warm welcome to Tang Tian and her delegation. He reviewed the long history of academic exchanges between the two universities and expressed his hope for deeper and more practical cooperation. He noted that HENU, originally the Preparatory School for Further Study in Europe and America, has adhered to an open education policy from the very start. HENU has always been committed to its mission of delivering high-quality international education resources to the people of Henan. In recent years, HENU has positioned itself as a research-oriented, comprehensive, and internationalized world-class university, actively integrating into the global higher education system. Zhang Suojiang expressed his hope that the two universities would take this meeting as an opportunity to continue deepening cooperation and establish a new working mechanism where “the university coordinates overall efforts and individual schools take the lead in implementation”, thereby injecting new momentum into mutually beneficial cooperation. The first is to promote joint discipline development. The two universities could focus on their respective strengths in economics and French, and launch joint undergraduate dual-degree programs to enhance their global academic influence and educational outcomes. The second is to strengthen the integration of research and education. The two universities could promote joint doctoral and master’s degree programs, pool high-quality educational and research resources, and train high-level innovative talents with international perspectives. The third is to enhance academic exchanges. The two universities could strengthen their academic collaboration, advance the joint development of high-level research platforms, and conduct collaborative research in cutting-edge fields to pursue shared benefits.

Tang Tian expressed her sincere appreciation to HENU for its warm reception and hospitality. She gave an overview of the University of Alberta, highlighting its educational characteristics, disciplinary strengths, and international development strategy. She stated that the University of Alberta attaches great importance to cooperation with HENU. As a university supported by the “Double First-Class” initiative, HENU has a profound academic heritage and strong development momentum. The two universities have maintained close cooperative relations over the years, with frequent faculty and student exchanges, which has laid a solid foundation for further collaboration. She expressed her hope that this visit would consolidate existing cooperation and promote further progress in talent cultivation and joint research.

Bai Ying briefed the delegation on HENU’s development plans and recent progress in international cooperation. She also offered suggestions on the priorities and implementation paths for future cooperation between the two universities. During the meeting, the two sides reached broad consensus after in-depth discussions on student exchanges, joint training programs, and collaborative research.

This visit further deepened the friendly relations between the two universities and clarified the direction for practical cooperation in the next phase. Going forward, the two sides will continue to build on their existing cooperation framework and jointly open a new chapter of mutually beneficial development.

Founded in 1908, the University of Alberta is a founding member of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities. It ranked 94th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026. The university enjoys a high international reputation in fields such as energy engineering and artificial intelligence.