On March 4th, GDUFS celebrated the 10th anniversary of the MA Program in English Language Education, a collaborative effort between our university and the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. Caroline Baylon, Vice Chancellor of the University of Reading, led a delegation to attend the celebration. They were warmly welcomed by Jiao Fangtai, Vice President of GDUFS.

Scene of the Ceremony

In her speech, Caroline Baylon expressed her appreciation for Chinese culture and looked forward to deepening cooperation between the two universities in various fields. She emphasized that both the University of Reading and GDUFS enjoy a good academic reputation across the world, and the outstanding achievements of the two universities are inseparable from their close cooperation. She mentioned that the University of Reading has made remarkable achievements in meteorology, climate research, and education, highlighting its important role in addressing global climate change and protecting the environment. Baylon highly appreciated the GDUFS-Reading program. She believed that the cooperation not only contributes prospectively to international education but will also continue to create brilliant achievements that contribute wisdom and strength to the cause of international education.

Caroline Baylon Making a Speech

Jiao Fangtai pointed out that as a high-level university with distinctive international characteristics, GDUFS has been actively exchanging and cooperating with universities worldwide. The University of Reading, as a renowned university in the UK, has an excellent reputation for its Institute of Education. The cooperation between the two universities aims to cultivate talents with global vision and cultural literacy through international education. Over the past ten years, the collaborative program has yielded fruitful results, nurturing nearly 400 graduates with global thinking and cultural sensitivity. The cooperation between the two universities is not only reflected in the field of education, but is also based on shared values and the pursuit of excellence. This ceremony is a celebration of ten years of cooperation, a token of appreciation for the contributions of faculty, students, and alumni, and a vision for the future. He hoped that the program would continue to innovate teaching methods and provide opportunities for more students, and looked forward to a deeper and broader cooperation between the two universities in the future so as to make outstanding contributions to global educational exchanges.

Vice President Jiao Fangtai Making a Speech

Rebecca Berkley, Programme Co-Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes at the Institute of Education, University of Reading, warmly congratulated students on their outstanding achievements. Zhang Xin, Dean of the Faculty of English Language and Culture, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Prof. Li Daguo from the University of Reading and teams from both sides for their outstanding contributions and tireless efforts. The celebration was hosted by Liu Humin, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of English Language and Culture. In her address, Liu Humin looked back on the achievements of the past ten years of cooperation and looked forward to the path for future development.

On the occasion of this 10th anniversary celebration, the Faculty of English Language and Culture also held a graduation celebration for the students of the GDUFS-Reading Program 2018-2022. The event featured speeches from Prof. Li Daguo of the University of Reading and Wang Yunfeng, a member from our Faculty of English Language and Culture, representing the teaching faculty. Representatives from different phases of the academic journey—alumni representative Sun Yi, graduate representative Zhu Guohua, and current student representative Lai Caixia—delivered heartfelt remarks. Li Chengtuan, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of English Language and Culture, adeptly chaired the event.

Group Photo

On the morning of March 4th, Yan Xiangbin, President of GDUFS, met with Caroline Baylon, Vice Chancellor of the University of Reading, and her delegation in the VIP Lounge of the Administration Building on Baiyunshan Campus. Vice President Jiao Fangtai and others attended the meeting. President Yan Xiangbin said that the two universities have a long history of cooperation and deep friendship. He hoped that in the future, building on a solid foundation, the two universities would expand and deepen cooperation in talent cultivation, scientific research, faculty and student exchanges, and cultural interactions. Caroline Baylon praised GDUFS for its efforts in academic achievements and talent cultivation, emphasizing the significance of collaboration between the two universities. She expressed anticipation for exploring deeper cooperation potentials and building a broader platform for high-quality collaboration.

President Yan Xiangbin Meeting with Caroline Baylon and the Delegation

Following the discussion, the two sides held a project meeting to discuss the establishment of a closer strategic cooperation partnership. The meeting was presided over by Vice President Jiao Fangtai.