Representatives of the Jinan University, a public research university based in Guangzhou, China, visited the University of Rijeka Rectorate on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. “Jinan” literally means “reaching southward”, indicating the university’s original mission to disseminate Chinese learning and culture from North to South when it was founded in 1906 in Nanjing. It is one of the oldest universities in China and one of the Double First Class Universities in China, and the first Chinese university to recruit foreign students, starting in 2017, and one of the universities with the largest number of international students in China. The most distinguished subjects of JNU include Pharmacy, Chemistry, Economics, Finance, Journalism, and Chinese Language and Literature.
The members of the delegation were as follows:
– Prof. YE Wencai, Vice President,
– Prof. GU Naihua, Director of Development and Planning Department,
– Prof. MA Min, Dean of Graduate School,
– Prof. LUO Liangping, Dean of Health Science Centre,
– Prof. WANG Huadong, Dean of Medicine School,
– Prof. JIANG Zhengjin, Deputy Dean of Pharmacy School.
The esteemed guests were welcomed by the University of Rijeka Rector, Prof. Snježana Prijić-Samaržija, Ph.D., Prof. Ante Simonić, M.D., Ph.D., professor emeritus and former Croatian Ambassador in the People’s Republic of China, and Ms. Rita Zhao Simonić, multimedia artist, world-renowned photographer, journalist, and interpreter.
At the beginning of the meeting, Rector Prijić-Samaržija briefly presented the University of Rijeka, mentioning membership in important European networks and alliances (YERUN, YUFE), internationalization and international cooperation as one of the priorities, but also the desire to establish successful cooperation with Jinan University.
As Jinan University President, Prof. Xianzhong Song, couldn’t join the meeting in Rijeka, Jinan University was briefly presented by the Vice President, Professor Ye Wencai. As a very active university when it comes to academic exchanges, JNU has established academic cooperation or academic exchange liaison with more than 180 universities and research institutes in Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. There are nearly 2800 universities in China, and Jinan University is the first university that pioneered the implementation of credit system in China and the university with the largest number of overseas students.
The official representatives of respective universities signed a Memorandum of Understanding, declaring their common goal and desire to promote the exchange of persons, experiences, and projects in the area of higher education and research. The Memorandum is only the first step in what is to become a very fruitful collaboration between various experts, especially in the field of medicine and pharmacy.
The members of JNU delegation later met with the members of the Croatian-Chinese Friendship Society for Cultural, Scientific and Economy Cooperation. During their time in Rijeka, Jinan University representatives will also visit Thalassotherapia Opatija and the Faculty of Medicine, where Professor Ma Min will hold a lecture and thus participate in marking the Faculty Days.
