From November 19thto 26th2015, President ZHONG Weihe, leading a group of faculty members , paid a visit to the UK, France and Belgium in order to increase the cooperation opportunities between GDUFS and six well-known universities (including Oxford) and DG SCIC(Directorate General for Interpretation). President ZHONG also attended some special activities hosted by the Alumni Associations of the UK and France. CAI Hong, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange; ZHAO Junfeng, Dean of the School of Interpreting and Translation Studies; and YANG Xiaomin, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of European Languages and Cultures were in the group. During the period, GDUFS and the Chinese Embassy in the UK reached an agreement on introducing more overseas talents to GDUFS.
President ZHONG with GDUFS’ers studying at Coventry University
On the morning of November 19th, President ZHONG visited Coventry University, having an informal meeting with GDUFS’ers (GDUFS students and teachers) studying there to discover more about their studies and lives. He encouraged them to seize the opportunity of studying abroad; to get used to the new environment quickly; to improve their comprehensive qualities, as well as to make friends with other international students. “You are supposed to be goodwill ambassadors of GDUFS during the process of the internationalization of GDUFS.” He said.
Present ZHONG was awarded his honorary doctorate of Coventry University.
On the afternoon of November 19th, during the winter commencement of Coventry University, President ZHONG was awarded his honorary doctorate for his great contributions to the development of the interpreting and translation teaching and international cooperation of higher education among different universities. This is his third overseas honorary doctorate besides other two from the University of Central Lancashire and the University of Westminster.
On the morning of November 20th, a conference on all-around cooperation between GDUFS and Coventry University was held. President Zhong, John Latham (President of CU) and David Pilsbury (Vice President of CU) attended.
The conference with Durham University
On the afternoon of November 20th, the visiting group of GDUFS visited Durham University and took part in three conferences. David Cowling, Vice President of Durham University; Don Starr, a well-known sinologist; Janet Stewart, Dean of the Faculty of Modern Languages and Cultures of DU, and Fiona O’Carroll,Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange of DU and others attended the conference. Both universities firstly focused on the program of the double degree of MA Translation Studies which will possibly be available in 2016. They also agreed to promote all-round cooperation projects of undergraduates, postgraduates and PhD students and to organize some summer camps for study and exchange.
The Alumni Association of the UK
On the evening of November 21th, President ZHONG attended the special activities for the 50thanniversary of GDUFS held by the Alumni Association of the UK. SHEN Yang, Education Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the UK; YAN Li, Primary Secretary of Education Division, and LEI Fengyun, General Agent of China Association for International Exchange of Personnel and more than 40 alumni attended in spite of cold weather. President ZHONG expressed his sincere gratitude to all attendees; introduced the special activities for the 50thanniversary held at GDUFS, and praised the Alumni Association of the UK for their contributions to GDUFS. He also hoped that all GDUFS’ers in the UK would work hard to make great achievements with their love for GDUFS and China. Both SHEN Yang and LEI Fengyun delivered inspiring speeches. All present alumni, proud of being GDUFS’ers, talked about their life in the UK and their future plans.
President ZHONG with persons in charge of OPP of Oxford
President ZHONG with Worcester College (Oxford)
On the morning of November 23, President ZHONG visited Oxford, having a pleasant talk with Professor St. Catherine College and Professor Roger Ainsworth about the exchange student program between the two universities. Then, he had a deep conversation about deepening cooperation with WANG Shidong, Director of OPP (Oxford Plan Project), and Doctor Ben Clyde, Academic Director of Oxford. An agreement was reached that the office of OPP should be established in southern China at the beginning of 2016 to affiliate cooperation between GDUFS and Oxford. At noon, President ZHONG had lunch with Worcester College (Academic Dean of Oxford), Professor Scott Scullion and Doctor Micheal Mayob. After the discussion, it is likely that one or two GDUFS student majoring in English or Business English can enjoy exchange visits to Oxford.
President ZHONG with Professors of University College London
On the afternoon of November 23rd, President ZHONG visited University College London, having a meeting with Theo Hermans (Professor of the Centre for Cross-Cultural Research); Professor Jorge Diaz (Director of the European Institute of Language and Culture and Social Translation); Professor Mark Shuttleworth; Professor Yi-Yi Shih, and other professors. They agreed to increase exchange opportunities for students and teachers majoring in translation, as well as to set up a Sino-foreign translation research center. Also a three degree (Sino- the UK- a third country) program for postgraduates was suggested.
On the afternoon of November 23rd, the visiting group paid a visit toSHEN Yang (Education Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the UK), too. President ZHONG introduced GDUFS’s program to absorb more overseas talents to him. SHEN said that the Education Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the UK will strongly support GDUFS.
On the afternoon of November 24th, Carlos Alegria, Acting Director of DG SCIC; and Paul Brennan, who is in charge of related department of DG SCIC in China, received President ZHONG. Deepening cooperation,DG SCIC will accept two GDUFS students’ internship from the spring of 2016.
The visiting group at DG SCIC
On the morning of November 25th, the visiting group of GDUFS visited Université Libre de Bruxelles, having conversations with Christine Demaecker, Head of the Office of International Exchange; and XU Jianping, Director of the Chinese Department. Both universities were looking forward to carrying out the cooperative projects of cultivating talents and performing scientific research as soon as possible. Some exchange agreements have been established and will be put into practice in 2016.
On the evening of 25thNovember, President ZHONG met some alumni of the Alumni Association of France. All enjoyed a good night.
President ZHONG with Alumni in France
On the morning of November 26th, President ZHONG visited ISIT, talking with Frederic Gilin, Acedemic Dean of ISIT, and Catherine Jourdainne, Head of the Office of Internation Exchange of ISIT. GDUFS students majoring in French and Translation could have a chance to study, and to get a double degree or continuous studying at undergraduate and graduate levels at ISIT.
A talk at ISIT
On the morning of November 26, the visiting group of GDUFS visited UNESCO, expressing the heartfelt thanks to ZHANG Xiuqin (a member of the delegation of UNESCO) for the support that she gave to the internationalization of GDUFS. ZHANG wished that GDUFS could make even greater achievements in special internationalization.
Visiting UNESCO
