A delegation led by Brent White, Chief Global Officer of the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM), visited Hainan University (HNU) from March 3 to 5. With the Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) renewed in October 2024, this visit aimed to explore new approaches to advancing joint education programs.

President Luo Qingming, also a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), met with the delegation at the International Academic Exchange Center on March 4. Luo highlighted the geographical and climatic similarities between Hainan and Hawaii, as well as their long-standing cultural, economic, and educational ties. He noted that as the flagship university under the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) initiative, HNU has made remarkable strides in discipline development, scientific research, and global talent acquisition. The unprecedented favorable policies of Hainan FTP, coupled with HNU’s distinctive strengths in natural sciences and their applications have laid a solid foundation for joint endeavors. He anticipated that both sides would leverage tropical resources to expand cooperation, innovate partnership models, and accelerate joint education programs to bolster regional socio-economic growth.

President Luo meeting with UHM Delegation (Photo by Li Jiaxin)

Vice President Yue Wen held talks with the delegation at the Administration Building on March 5. Yue reviewed the achievements of past cooperation, reaffirming UHM as a crucial international partner. He stressed that HNU will deepen ties with UHM through the platform of League of Tropical Universities (LTU) and introduce its excellent educational resources to improve talent-nurturing models, which can also promote shared development in teaching, research and talent exchange for both universities.

Brent White appreciated HNU’s hospitality and commended the achievements made in their partnership. He noted that the visit boosted mutual trust and understanding, and that UHM looks forward to deepening cooperation in relevant disciplines, advancing high-quality joint education programs, and achieving win-win outcomes.

During the meeting, two sides discussed in-depth the specifics of joint education programs and agreed to enhance cooperation in natural sciences, promote collaborative research and innovation, and explore new models of joint education to elevate global influence.

Meeting venue (Photo by Chen Yu)

During their visit, the delegation toured HNU History Museum, the Collaborative Innovation Center, and the Mansion Hills Campus to get a glimpse of HNU’s development and achievements. They also visited the Schools of Food Science and Engineering, Life and Health Sciences, Marine Science and Engineering, where they explored laboratory facilities and interacted with faculty members on discipline development, collaborative research and talent development. Both sides believed cooperation opportunities abound in the tropics-related disciplines and reached extensive consensus on joint education.

The visit further reinforced the partnership between HNU and UHM, paving the way for further collaboration in related disciplines.

Representatives from UHM’s Office of Global Engagement (OGE), College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), and College of Natural Sciences, as well as HNU’s Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, Schools of Food Science and Engineering, Life and Health Sciences, Marine Science and Engineering and relevant departments, participated in the event.

Source from Office of International Cooperation and Exchange

Translated by Han Yunsheng

Proofread by Kuang Xiaowen, Yang Jie