On the morning of January 8th, SCU President Li Yanrong met with a visiting delegation led by Cambridge University’s Head of the Department of Earth Science, Simon Redfern, and Professor Martin Travis Dove of Queen Mary University of London. The delegation was received at the VIP Hall on SCU’s Wangjiang Campus. SCU Vice President Yan Shijing and other university leaders joined the meeting.
Welcoming the delegation, President Li gave a brief introduction to Sichuan University, outlining the present project of world-class university and world-class discipline contruction, SCU’s earth science being one of the university’s most important disciplines, with hydro-electric engineering, physics, and computer science counting among its leading subjects. Overall, SCU’s disciplinary strengths provide a strong basis for the further development of earth science at Sichuan University, President Li suggested. Under China’s National 13th Five-year Plan on Scientific and Technological Development, the current collaboration in the field of earth science between SCU and the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London serves not only scientific development but, beyond that, national interests, regional development, and industry promotion. Li expressed his hope that the visit of the two professors would further cement cooperative ties among the three universities.
Professor Redfern expressed his thanks for the warm welcome received at SCU. He looks forward to cooperating with Sichuan University on establishing a joint earth science research center, which is in the interests of both sides.
Professor Dove pointed out that SCU and Queen Mary University of London had enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership, which he is sure will continue to develop with the joint establishment of a planned big data analysis research center.
The establishment of a joint earth science research center by SCU and the University of Cambridge is set to be followed by the establishment of a School of Earth Science at Sichuan University in the not too distant future.
