Waterloo’s global connections

A University of Waterloo delegation, led by the president and vice-chancellor of the University, is in China this week to strengthen relationships with leading Chinese universities. Feridun Hamdullahpur will meet with representatives from five of China’s top universities:

• Tsinghua University
• Nanjing University
• Beijing Jiao Tong University
• Zhejiang University
• Soochow University

Hamdullahpur will also learn more about China’s education policy through meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Education.

“It is essential that we build strong relationships with Chinese institutions as we seek to provide researchers and students with a diversity of experience and insight that is vital to the pursuit of knowledge and discovery,” said Hamdullahpur. “China has an impressive group of universities that share Waterloo’s passion for expertise in research and academic excellence.”

Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo meets with Tsinghua University President Dr. Chen Jining in China. (left to right) Dr. Wu Yongwei, Director for Academic Affairs, Department of Computer S&T, Tsinghua University; Dr. Shoufa Lin, Associate Dean, Waterloo Faculty of Science; Dr. Xia Guangzhi, Deputy Director, International Office, Tsinghua University; Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur, President, University of Waterloo; Dr. Chen Jining, President, Tsinghua University, Dr. Nello Angerilli, Associate Vice President International, University of Waterloo; Dr. Terrance McMahon, Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo; Suping Zhao, International Relations Specialist, Waterloo International, University of Waterloo, Dr. Xu Luping, Associate Director, XIN Center (for cross innovation)Tsinghua University

Two of the world’s most innovative universities

As part of the visit, two of the world’s most innovative universities reached a new agreement that will prepare Chinese students for study in Canada. Tsinghua University, ranked among the world’s top 50 universities, will offer a one-year pre-bachelor level course from its School of Continuing Education that will allow students from China to study at the University of Waterloo.

“This new agreement will allow gifted Chinese students to prepare at one of the top global universities for study in world-class programs at the University of Waterloo in Canada,” said Hamdullahpur. “Tsinghua and Waterloo share a spirit of innovation that will enable students to meet the challenges of life in an evolving global society.”

Hamdullahpur signed the new agreement on Monday as part of a weeklong visit to China. Earlier in the day, he met with Chen Jining, president of Tsinghua, to discuss opportunities for further collaboration between the two institutions.

Symposium on the environment

At Nanjing, Hamdullahpur will join a delegation of more than 10 researchers from Waterloo for a joint symposium on the environment. Among Waterloo’s delegation is Daniel Scott, an associate professor in the Faculty of Environment, who recently released research that revealed that only six of the previous Winter Olympics host cities will be cold enough to reliably host the Games by the end of this century

More than 3,000 students from China currently study at the University of Waterloo. Tsinghua and Waterloo also share expertise in quantum information science in the Tsinghua-Waterloo Joint Center for Quantum Computing. Other initiatives include:

• Waterloo’s Faculty of Science and Institute for Quantum Computing has recruited several Tsinghua students to post doctoral roles and graduate studies.
• The Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo sets aside two of only 20 openings in the prestigious Undergraduate School on Experimental Quantum Information Processing specifically for Tsinghua undergraduate students.
• The University of Waterloo and Nanjing University have capitalized on opportunities for international education by establishing the Sino-Canadian College that has focused on environmental studies of coastal China.
• Soochow University regularly hires students from Waterloo’s world-renowned co-operative education program and partners with Waterloo on nanotechnology research.