On October 27, 2025, a delegation from Universities Australia, led by Universities Australia Chair Prof. Carolyn Evans and CEO Mr. Luke Sheehy, along with Prof. Rongyu Li, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice President of the University of Queensland, visited the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech). The delegation was warmly received by Prof. Li Jin, Vice President for Global Strategies of SUSTech, and other representatives for in-depth discussions on research collaboration, academic exchange, and joint talent cultivation.

Vice President Li Jin extended a warm welcome to the delegation. He reflected on SUSTech’s strong and long-standing partnerships with Australian universities, noting the historic post-pandemic visit by the University of Queensland's President in 2023 and his own subsequent productive discussions there, as well as existing collaborations with institutions like the University of Sydney and Monash University. He expressed a sincere desire to strengthen these ties and build new ones, such as with Griffith University. He expressed confidence that the meeting would lay the foundation for a lasting partnership, building a "bridge of innovation" between SUSTech and Australian universities to turn ideas into impact.

Prof. Carolyn Evans praised SUSTech’s rapid development and remarkable achievements in such a short time. She stressed the importance of Australia-China research partnerships in addressing shared global challenges and expressed a strong commitment to strengthening ties through a planned Memorandum of Understanding. Key focuses include early-career researcher exchanges, joint PhD supervision, and collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence, medical sciences, and sustainable engineering.

Prof. Rongyu Li shared insights into the University of Queensland’s international education strategies, including its cross-border medical training programs and strong support for student entrepreneurship. He expressed interest in developing substantive collaborations with SUSTech in the fields of medicine, life sciences, and startup incubation. He welcomed more Australian students to study and engage with the innovation ecosystems in Shenzhen.

Prof. Jian Zhang, Deputy Dean of the SUSTech-KCL School of Medicine, and Prof. Ke Tang, Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, also presented their schools’ research strengths and international partnership models, showcasing SUSTech’s growing capabilities in computer science, clinical medicine, and industry-academia collaboration.

Both sides agreed to use this meeting as a foundation for future collaboration, to establish interdisciplinary and cross-regional platforms for education and research.

Following the meeting, the delegation was invited on a guided tour of the SUSTech campus, including visits to the Yi Dan Library and the Third Teaching Building.

Contributed by SUSTech Global

Photo by Manqi Zhou