On May 16, the first annual audit meeting was convened online to assess the education quality of Jiangsu University Cranfield Tech Futures Graduate Institute (JSU-CU Institute) which co-established by Jiangsu University (JSU) and Cranfield University (CU). JSU-CU Institute passed the quality test after eight and a half hours of rigorous cross-examination conducted by CU, which marked an official recognition for the successful running of the first joint venture of JSU-CU Institute after two years of its establishment.

Organized by JSU-CU Institute and International Office of JSU, the meeting comprised three sessions for the administrative team, teaching management team, and representatives of Chinese faculty members, including supervisors, course conveners, teaching assistants, and doctoral candidates and postgraduate students from teaching units directly involved in the joint venture such as the School of Mechanical Engineering, School of Automotive and Traffic Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, and School of Management, etc.

The UK assessment board was chaired by Vice Chancellor responsible for maintaining the standards and quality of taught courses of CU Prof. Sean Tyrrel. It comprised members from the CU Executive, student representatives, audit meeting secretaries and some others. After the Chinese administration team made an overview of the operation of JSU-CU Institute over the past two years and answered the cross-examination questions at the meeting, the assessment board held two consecutive conversations of investigation with three members of the Chinese administration team and representatives from the faculty members and students, consisting of six individuals from each group.

Following the audit meeting was a close-door discussion among members of the assessment board, who made a highly commendable evaluation of the work done by the management teams from both China and UK in seven areas including administrative management, teaching management, teaching activities, student experience, English language enhancement, safety of thesis topics, and review of ethical standards. Suggestions were offered as well to further improve the performance and operation of the JSU-CU Institute in the coming year. Finally, the assessment board took a vote, giving its final approval for the JSU-CU Institute to pass the quality test.

As the audit meeting is crucial in that it determines the continuity or annulment of the partnership between JSU and CU, great importance has been attached to it by the two universities. Relevant preparations have been made by the management teams since March, the outcome of which is the completion of “The Evaluation Report on the Operation of JSU-CU Institute.” The criteria of the assessment focus on whether the administrative management, teaching management, teaching activities, student experience and academic research meet the requirements of CU and whether safety of thesis topics and ethical standards comply with the legal divisions of both countries.