On January 13, a delegation led by Professor Scott Bowman, Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Darwin University (CDU) in Australia, visited Hainan University (HNU). The two sides held talks at the Hexin Hall of the International Academic Exchange Center. HNU President Luo Qingming, also Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), chaired the meeting.

Scott Bowman congratulated Hainan University on its recent achievements. He noted that CDU, as Australia’s first dual-sector university integrating higher education with vocational training, has always emphasized university-industry collaboration and the translation of research outcomes, delivering outstanding results in fields such as tropical ecology, disaster management, and hydrogen energy development. HNU is one of CDU’s longest-standing international partners, and the two universities share strong alignment in educational philosophy and research focus. Looking ahead, he expressed hope to deepen cooperation in faculty-student exchanges, joint research and talent cultivation through the League of Tropical Universities, leveraging their respective resource strengths for higher-level mutual benefit and development.

CDU Vice-Chancellor Scott Bowman visits HNU on January 13. (Photo by Gao Kehe)

President Luo Qingming warmly welcomed Scott Bowman and his delegation, and outlined HNU’s progress in discipline development, talent cultivation, scientific innovation, international cooperation, and campus infrastructure. He highlighted that the University’s overall strength has markedly grown, with several key indicators ranking among the top nationally, as HNU strives towards its goal of becoming a world-class institution. By spearheading the League of Tropical Universities, HNU has undertaken multiple national research projects and extended its scientific achievements to other tropical regions, contributing to regional growth. He expressed hope that the exchange between the two universities would pave the way for mutual learning and deeper collaboration in talent development and technological innovation.

President Luo Qingming (right) meets with Scott Bowman (left). (Photo by Gao Kehe)

Prior to the meeting, Scott Bowman and his delegation toured the Integrated Scenarios Exhibition of Collaborative Innovation Center and the State Key Laboratory of Marine Biological Resources Utilization in the South China Sea, gaining insights into HNU’s high-quality development and research outcome translation.

Scott Bowman visits HNU and tours the Integrated Scenarios Exhibition of Collaborative Innovation Center. (Photo by Gao Kehe)

Scott Bowman visits HNU and tours the Integrated Scenarios Exhibition of Collaborative Innovation Center. (Photo by Gao Kehe)

Scott Bowman visits HNU and tours the State Key Laboratory of Marine Biological Resources Utilization in the South China Sea. (Photo by Gao Kehe)

The event was also attended by CDU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Shannon Holborn, HNU Vice Presidents Liu Qian and Yue Wen, as well as heads of relevant units and departments from both universities.

Translated by Wang Zixuan

Proofread by Guo Jinping