In order to further implement cooperation with colleges and universities in Singapore and deepen the already signed cooperation projects, a delegation of Chongqing University led by Xu Jun, director of the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation, visited some colleges and universities in Singapore from March 31 to April 4, 2019. Yang Yongqi, vice president of Institute of Scientific Research and Development, and Ge Yao, executive president of Industrial Technology Research Institute, were among the delegation. This has been another visit to colleges and universities of Singapore following CQU officials’ visit in April 2016.

On April 1, CQU delegation paid a visit to Nanyang Technological University. Wang Lin, director of the International Affairs Office, Dai Shiyan, deputy dean of the Graduate School of Public Administration, and other responsible persons warmly received the delegation. Xu Jun gave a brief view of achievements made in cooperation between the two universities in the past 3 years; Xu expressed his intention to deepen enterprise-university-institute cooperation and disseminate the scientific and technological achievements with Nanyang Technological University. He also proposed collaborative programs including “Oversea Academic Ability Improvement Program for Doctoral Candidates”, and the training program for foreign affairs management and staff and industrial park management. Representatives of Nanyang Technological University showed intense interest in the “Oversea Academic Ability Improvement Program for Doctoral Candidates”, which corresponds to the Whole-Ph. D. Program of Nanyang Technological University. The two parties reached an agreement on promotion of progress and plan, and decided to make joint sustained efforts to implement the plan. In addition, the two parties also further confirmed details with respect to training of foreign affairs management and training of industrial park management. Hopefully the related training will be launched within 2019.

On April 2, CQU delegation visited the National University of Singapore. Xu Guoqin, president of (Suzhou) Research Institute of National University of Singapore, Bo Wei, deputy director of the President’s Office, and Yu Aiwei, deputy director of the International Affairs Office, were present at the meeting. Professor Xu Guoqin said that (Suzhou) Research Institute of National University of Singapore had settled in Liangjiang New Area of Chongqing, and now Chongqing is an important partner of the National University of Singapore in southwest China. The National University of Singapore is planning to collaborate with Chongqing University extensively in areas such as basic scientific research, innovation and entrepreneurship, achievement dissemination and talent exchange. Xu Jun went over the cooperation between the two universities; the collaboration between the two has been fruitful in the past 3 years, with memorandum of understanding, agreement on inter-university student exchange, 3+1+1 joint nurturing agreement and logistics cooperation agreement signed. As (Chongqing) Research Institute of the National University of Singapore is about to be established, the related sub-programs under the 3+1+3 joint nurturing program between the two universities may be transferred to Chongqing, which will greatly facilitate interaction and exchange between students. The two parties also decided at the meeting that the “Oversea Academic Ability Improvement Program for Doctoral Candidates” should be implemented in the Department of Economics, Risk Management Institute and the School of Commerce of the National University of Singapore. Discussion will be initiated with related professors of the schools about cooperation topics after the cooperation areas are identified. In order to avoid emptiness of the Research Institute, the two parties discussed establishment of interconnection and hardware sharing between (Chongqing) Research Institute and the Industrial Technology Research Institute of Chongqing University and decided to make joint efforts to promote industrialization of research results. The National University of Singapore also invited Chongqing University delegation to the International Technology Industry Exchange Meeting to be held in Suzhou in September 2019.

On April 3, Chongqing University delegation visited Singapore Management University. Director Chen Shu of the International Exchange and Cooperation Office of Singapore Management University, Zheng Rui’an, deputy dean of the School of Economics, Gao Yongfeng, senior manager of the Office of Postgraduate and Doctoral Research Course Affairs, and Wu Yinuo and Lin Daowei, workers at the International Exchange and Cooperation Office, were present at the meeting. Singapore Management University showed strong interest in the “Oversea Academic Ability Improvement Program for Doctoral Candidates” and 1+1+1 double-degree master program as proposed by Chongqing University, and took the initiative to coordinate with related schools and areas. It would continue to follow up the progress and conclude an agreement on the results of the talks, so as to expedite the academic cooperation and exchange between the two universities. The International Joint Research Institute under preparation was also introduced to the attendants at the meeting. As the international center for technological transformation of Chongqing University, the International Joint Research Institute is always open for professors’ research teams of Singapore Management University. The two parties may cooperate to disseminate the project achievements. Furthermore, the two sides had discussion over overseas visit study of students at the meeting.

 The purpose of the visit is to seek opportunities for more extensive and deeper collaboration in education and scientific research, based on the mutual understanding between Chongqing University and the colleges and universities of Singapore. This visit has proved to be fruitful, and the delegation will follow up mutual exchange and close cooperation between the two with respect to “Oversea Academic Ability Improvement Program for Doctoral Candidates”, overseas visit study projects for students, training of foreign affairs management, and park management and planning management for the Industrial Technology Research Institute.