Virtual Signing Ceremony of Inter-University Cooperation Agreement and Mebo Group Special Scholarship between WHU and UC Davis

On June 17, Wuhan University (WHU) and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) held a virtual signing ceremony of an inter-campus cooperation agreement and a special scholarship endowment agreement between Mebo Group and UC Davis. Mr. Zhu Xiaobin, Deputy Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee, Mr. Tang Qizhu, Vice President of Wuhan University, Mr. Zhang Jianmin, Consul General of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco, Mr. Darrell Steinberg, Mayor of Sacramento, Dr. Joanna Regulska, Vice Provost and Vice Chancellor of Global Affairs of UC Davis, and Mr. Xu Peng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mebo Group attended the ceremony and delivered speeches. More than forty people attended the event online.

Virtual signing ceremony of inter-university cooperation agreement

Vice President Tang Qizhu first thanked all the participants for their long-term support and the generous donation by Mebo Group to WHU. He then introduced the background information and the disciplinary advantages and achievements of WHU in recent years. After reviewing the friendly exchanges between WHU and UC Davis, he highlighted that during the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, the two universities sent letters to each other, expressing solicitude and concern. He pointed out that the close exchanges and interactions between the students and faculty of the two universities had laid a solid foundation for deeper cooperation between the institutions. Moreover, it bolstered the public opinion foundation for the friendship between China and the United States. He hoped that the two universities could use this “cloud” gathering as a new starting point to further expand and deepen the cooperation, striving to become a model of friendship and cooperation in advanced education between China and the United States.

Consolatory letters between the two universities in 2020

Vice President Tang signing the agreement

Vice Provost Regulska introduced the background information of UC Davis and gave high recognition to the academic level of Wuhan University and the achievements of the good relations between the two universities. She conveyed that UC Davis had an edge in life sciences, biotechnology innovation and medicine, and paid much attention to interdisciplinary talent cultivation. She looked forward to further expansion of cooperation and exchange in more disciplines between the two sides.

Vice Provost Regulska signing the agreement

Deputy Director Zhu Xiaobin introduced the situation of Hubei Province in terms of economic development, higher education, ecological construction and agricultural production. He pointed out that the signing of the cooperation agreement between Wuhan University and UC Davis today would consolidate the existing exchange ties between the two universities and further deepen the cooperation at a higher level and in a wider range of fields. This is solid proof that there is a huge demand and wide space for cooperation and exchange in higher education between China and the United States. He mentioned that the economic and trade exchanges between Hubei Province and the U.S. required more professionals with abundant legal knowledge and experience of both countries. The talents jointly trained by the two universities would play an important and positive role in deepening economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Mayor Steinberg expressed his appreciation for the continuous cooperation between the two parties, saying that despite the current challenges between the two countries, all parties were still working together to continue the building of win-win cooperation and friendship. At the same time, he welcomed WHU students who would be studying in Davis, and looked forward to meeting them in California.

Consul General Zhang Jianmin expressed his congratulations and gratitude to the cooperating parties and mentioned that the friendly cooperation and exchanges between the two universities are exciting despite the epidemic and other reasons that limited the flow of people between the two countries. He expressed that he would try his best to promote cooperation between cities, colleges and universities, and economic and trade between China and the U.S., promote people exchanges between the two countries, and play a positive role in educational cooperation and personnel exchange towards improving understanding between the two sides.

Consul General Zhang delivering the speech

Associate Dean Chen Haisong of the School of Law of WHU expressed his gratitude to Mebo Group for its donation. He said that the friendly partnership with the School of Law of UC Davis is conducive to encouraging more students to participate in exchanges and cultivating outstanding talents with an international perspective. Associate Dean Beth Greenwood of the School of Law of UC Davis also thanked Mebo Group for the generous donation, and she emphasized that the partnership between the two law schools is beneficial to win-win cooperation and joint efforts to address global challenges. In the speech, President Xu Peng expressed his belief that the exchanges and cooperation between the students of the two law schools can further enhance communication and exchanges between the countries and people.

During the event, Vice President Tang and Vice Provost Regulska signed the inter-university cooperation agreement on behalf of the two universities. Director Li Xiaoshu of the Office of International Affairs of WHU and Dean Susan Catron of the School of Continuing and Professional Education at UC Davis signed the memorandum of understanding for students studying abroad. Director Deng Xiaomei of the Alumni Affairs and Development Liaison Office signed the donation agreement with Vice Chairman Li Li of the Board of Directors of Mebo Group.

Director Li Xiaoshu signing the agreement

Director Deng Xiaomei and Vice Chairman Li Li signing the donation agreement

UC Davis, founded in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA, is one of the world’s top and most famous public research universities and is regarded as a public Ivy League university. According to the latest World University Rankings, it is ranked 67th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 102nd in the QS World University Rankings, and 100th in the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

In coordination with the Representative Office of Sacramento, California, the Mebo Group donated 3 million yuan to WHU to support the cooperation between the law schools in the two universities on the Law Master’s program, and to provide scholarships to WHU students who attend the program.

Photo by Jin Xin & Yuan Jingwen

Edited by Zhang Jing, Li Jing, Su Xinyue, Zhang Yilin, Sylvia, Xi Bingqing