The launch ceremony of the Jiangsu-UK 20+20 World-class University Consortium & International University-Industry-Research Cooperation Forum were held in Jiangsu University durin April 8 and 9. This ceremony was sponsored by Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education and British Council and attracted two hundred representatives from 23 universities in Jiangsu province and 16 British institions.

On the afternoon of April 8, two sides held a closed meeting, learning the brief introduction to the implementation after the signing of Agreement on Action Plans on the UK-Jiangsu 20+20 Initiative, with discussion and approval of the Charter, Jiangsu Declaration as well as its future development. Wang Chengbin, vice-director of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, John Edwards, British Consul-General in Shanghai and 36 member universities’representatives attended the meeting, and Zhao Yutao, vice president of Jiangsu University, hosted it.

On the morning of April 9, the launch ceremony was officially held at Academic Auditorium of JSU. Wang Jiang, vice-governor of Jiangsu Province, Fang Jun, deputy-director of Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of MOE, John Edwards, British Consul-General in Shanghai and Yuan Shouqi, Chair of Jiangsu University Committee attended the opening ceremony and delivered their speeches.

After the ceremony, Wang Chengbin, Vice-Director of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, Mathew Knowles, British Consulate-General in Shanghai introduced the international cooperation policy of Jiangsu education and British international cooperation policy respectively. Mathew Knowles was conferred the Honorary Title of “Envoy of People’s Friendship” from Jiangsu People’s Association.

On the afternoon of April 9, Sino-British President Forum, Advanced Manufacturing Panel, Environmental Engineering Panel and Health Care Panel were held. Representative from Sino-British universities exchanged ideas and shared experiences around themes of “university management and Sino-British cooperative innovation”, “advanced manufacturing”, “environmental engineering”, and “medical health” etc., promoting the implementation of the Jiangsu-UK 20+20 World-Class University Action Plan. The Jiangsu Declaration was officially issued then.

Jiangsu-UK 20+20 World-class University Consortium would be a great platform for Sino-British exchange and carry great and profound implications for world-class university construction, marking a crucial step of Sino-British university cooperation.