The unveiling ceremony of the Joint Institute is held at ECNU.
ECNU continues to make headway in the field of optoelectronic information and advanced nanomaterials with the official establishment of East China Normal University-University of Alberta (UAlberta) Joint Institute of Advanced Science and Technology on May 16.
The Joint Institute will not just bring together some of the world’s most distinguished scientists in optoelectronic information and advanced nanomaterials. Top level research groups at the world-leading frontier of science are to become a dominating force in Shanghai’s drive to build itself into a hub of scientific innovation and academic research.
The unveiling ceremony held at the ECNU campus was elaborate with guests and leaders of Canadian and Chinese universities and government officials in attendance, including a 14-member delegation from Canada: UAlberta president David Turpin and his wife Suromitra Sanatani, vice president of UAlberta Heather McCaw, the consul general of Canada in Shanghai Weldon Epp, mayor of City of Edmonton Don Iveson, and Ron Hoffmann, Alberta senior representative for the Asia Pacific Basin.
The honored guests were also joined by Wu Jun, vice director general of Zhangjiang Administration of the Management Committee of Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone and vice head of Zhangjiang High-tech Park Management Committee; ECNU president Qian Xuhong; vice president Wang Rongming; Wu Jian, head of the State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy; Sun Zhuo, director of MOE Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonic & Advanced Instrument in ECNU; and Wu E, vice dean of the School of Physics and Materials Science. The ceremony was presided by Wang Rongming.
Qian thanked both sides for the establishment of the Joint Institute, which he declared to be a model of cooperation between Chinese and Canadian universities in scientific innovation and research. He also asserted in his opening speech that the collaboration between ECNU and UAlberta, by way of bringing together the strengths of the two universities in optoelectronic information and advanced nanomaterials, can push forward the world frontier of scientific research, and assist Shanghai with its ambition of becoming a world renowned university in science and advanced technologies.
Weldon Epp witnessed the signing of the agreement between ECNU and University of Alberta whereupon he expressed his congratulations to both sides at the inauguration of the facility. In addition, he noted that the Joint Institute will push forward Sino-Canadian collaboration in higher learning and scientific innovation; he expected the Joint Institute to find proper methods to expand in scientific research and thus boost Sino-Canadian cooperation in other areas of higher education and science.
President Qian (Left) presents his Canadian counterpart with a gift of calligraphy writing.
David Turpin is an old friend of ECNU, a friendship that began when he was president of the University of Victoria in Canada. He said he has full confidence in the development of the Joint Institute and his university will team up with ECNU to build a team of top-ranked academic researchers to fulfill the institution's mission.
Don Iveson said he was glad to see that the University of Alberta, one of top 5 Canadian universities, and ECNU have successfully pushed their long-standing collaboration to a higher level by setting up the Joint Institute.
To mark the occasion, Qian presented his Canadian counterpart with a gift of calligraphy writing - translated into English as “sincere cooperation for a better future ”- made by ECNU faculty after the plaque of the institute was unveiled. Indeed, to send a good wish for the prosperity of the Joint Institute, the gift was received by the honored guests with a round of applause.
Prior to the ceremony, ECNU and UAlberta officials talked about diversifying cooperation in the future through each sides’ development plans as well as updates about cooperation in ecological research.
The two universities started intercollegiate cooperation in 2007 with a student research apprenticeship program. As their ties become closer, the two sides inked deals in 2016 and 2017, respectively, agreeing to launch the East China Normal University-University of Alberta (UAlberta) Joint Institute of Advanced Science and Technology.
——from News and Events of ECNU
