On the 27th of February, a delegation of 22 members from Dubai, headed by H.E. Ahmad Al Bedwawi, Assistant Director General of The Executive Office, H.E. Hadi Badri, CEO of Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism, and H.E. Faisal Bin Sulaitin, CEO of Economic Security Center of Dubai, visited the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech).  Prof. Wei Hong, Director of SUSTech Global; Prof. Bi Zhang, Associate Dean for Academics of the College of Engineering; Prof. Derong Liu, Chair Professor, School of System Design and Intelligent Manufacturing; Prof. Zhaoyuan Ma, School of System Design and Intelligent Manufacturing & College of Business and other representatives of related departments held discussions with the guests.

Prof. Wei Hong warmly welcomes Assistan Director General Ahmad Al Bedwawi and his delegation, highlighting the shared vision between Shenzhen and Dubai as two innovation hubs. He emphasized SUSTech's commitment to collaborating with global partners like Dubai to strengthen mutual understanding and foster academic, technological, and cultural exchanges.

H.E. Ahmad Al Bedwawi commended SUSTech's remarkable achievements and recognized universities' crucial role in driving regional development. He highlighted Shenzhen's reputation as a global innovation and entrepreneurship hub, rich in resources that support the growth of institutions like SUSTech. Assistant Director General Al Bedwawi expressed his delegation's keen interest in collaborating with SUSTech in key areas to jointly advance scientific and technological progress.

Dr. Hao Chen provided a comprehensive overview of SUSTech, delving into its development stages, academic programs, research initiatives, global partnerships, and strategic goals. 

The open discussion revealed a strong mutual interest in fostering academic and research collaborations to contribute to global scientific progress. Both sides explored various aspects, including the challenges and support mechanisms for international students, international student enrollment, and the university's industry partnerships with companies.

Assistant Director General Ahmad Al Bedwawi and his delegation were warmly guided on a campus tour.

Text by Ou Cai

Photo by Xiaoyan Zhang

Reviewed by Wei Hong