Official Opening of Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School and the Joint Research Institute Held in Suzhou
 

    On October 24, the official opening of Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School (Suzhou) and the Joint Research Institute (Suzhou) was held in Suzhou. The graduate school, formally approved by the Ministry of Education on March 27, 2012, was the first Chinese-foreign cooperatively-run graduate school in China and the first graduate school jointly established by Australian and Chinese universities. Therefore, its official inauguration received special congratulation from Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School (Suzhou) and the Joint Research Institute (Suzhou) is aimed at carrying out global standard high quality postgraduate education to cultivate high-level talents. At the same time, through the first-class teaching and research team, it will be combined closely with the industry to conduct high-level joint researches so as to serve national and regional economic development.
     The ceremony was presided over by Prof. Pu Yuepu, vice president of SEU and more than 200 guests from China and 120 guests from Australia attended the ceremony. Present at the inauguration ceremony were Mr.Liang Baohua- Standing Committee member of the CPPCC National Committee, Mr. Cao Weixing-Vice-Governor of Jiangsu Province, Ms. Zhang Xiuqin-Director of Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of Minstry of Education and relavent leaders from government departments. Participants from our school included Mr. Yi Hong-President of SEU, Mr. Hu Minqiang-Executive Vice-President, Mr. Pu Yuepu-Vice-President, Mr. Shen Jiong-Vice-President, and Mr. Dinghui-Chief Accountant, personnel in charge of the relevant functional departments of SEU, and teacher and student representatives. Foreign guests included Mr. Andrew Robb-Minister for Trade and Investment of Austrilia, Mr. Denis Napthine-Victorian Governor, Mr. Louise Asher-Victorian Minister for Innovation, Prof. Edward Byne-President of Monash University and relevant leaders from Austrilian government and Monash University.
    The ceremony started with Prof. Yi Hong's address. He reviewed years of preparation work for Joint Graduate School and expressed heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Provincial Government, Suzhou Municipal Government, Suzhou industrial park management committee, Victorian Government and Monash University.
    Prof. Edward Byne then pointed out the two sides would build the Joint Graduate School on the basis of trust and shared aspiration to make it the best graduate school in China and a world-class educational institution which will make great contribution to the development of both China and the rest of the world. In addition, Ms. Zhang Xiuqin, Mr. Andrew Robb, Mr. Cao Weixing, Mr. Nenis Napthine all sent their congratulation in their speeches and expressed their best wishes for the future of Joint Graduate School.
    After the ceremony, President Yi Hong and Mr. Cao Weixing met with Australian delegation. In the afternoon, Monash University held a ceremony at the Joint Graduate School to confer President Yi Gong the honorary doctor's degree of Monash University.
    Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School (Suzhou) and the Joint Research Institute (Suzhou), relying on the faculty and discipline advantages of Southeast University and Monash University and by virtue of the industrial and economic advantages of Suzhou, will train high level talents in nano science and technology, biomedicine, natural resources and environment, municipal transportation, information industry, software engineering, new energy and new materials and will carry out first-class scientific research and achievement transformation to meet the demand of economic development in Jiangsu Province and the rest of China.
    The joint graduate school, which began recruiting students in 2012, has been granted with the right to confer joint master degrees in five majors - namely industrial design engineering, computer technology, transportation engineering, international business and foreign linguistics and applied linguistics - with 219 students currently enrolled. The courses are taught in English and 50% of the teaching tasks are undertaken by teachers from Monash University. At the same time, Southeast University and Monash University will build laboratories in the fields of the water sensitive city, new materials, energy, biological information, biological and nano technology.

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