From May 26 to 31, Party Secretary Zhang Weiguo of Southwest University led a delegation to Hungary and Portugal, accompanied by officials from the University’s Party and Administrative Office, the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, the Institute of Science and Technology Development, and the School of Materials and Energy. The visit aimed to serve China’s opening-up strategy and the Belt and Road Initiative, advance the university’s “Double First-Class” construction goals, deepen ties with high-level European universities, and promote cooperation in national-level research platforms, joint academic programs, and student training.
In Hungary, Zhang held bilateral talks with Csaba Gyuricza, Rector of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The two sides had in-depth discussions on the construction, evaluation, and long-term operation of the China-Hungary Belt and Road Joint Laboratory for Food Science, and reached important consensus on accelerating a “3+1” undergraduate joint program in Food Science and Engineering.
In Portugal, the delegation visited NOVA University Lisbon and held extensive talks with Rector Paulo Pereira. The two sides formally signed a strategic agreement on international scientific and technological innovation cooperation, as well as a joint laboratory agreement for China-Portugal Atomic Manufacturing and Integrated Devices. They also renewed a university-wide MOU and student exchange agreement, launching a trilateral cooperation model of “institutional partnership, research collaboration, and shared platforms.” Discussions also covered the establishment of a European Academy of Sciences academician workstation, joint efforts to attract high-level talents, and collaborative graduate training.
During the trip, the delegation also visited the Chinese embassies in Hungary and Portugal to report on cooperation progress and plans. Embassy officials highly praised the university’s proactive role in serving China’s diplomatic strategy and advancing Sino-European higher education and technology cooperation, offering guidance for further collaboration. This European mission marks a key step in Southwest University’s opening-up and global innovation network integration, strengthening its European cooperation landscape and injecting new momentum into its “Double First-Class” development.
