Delegation from University of Warwick Visits GDUFS

On the morning of March 3, a delegation led by Professor Nina-Anne Lawrence, Head of the Warwick Global Academy at the University of Warwick, visited Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS). Shen Minghao, Vice President of GDUFS, met with the guests in the VIP Hall of the Administration Building of the Baiyun Mountain Campus. The two sides jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and held in-depth discussions on cooperation in joint doctoral training programs, the “0.5+1” master’s program, and short-term programs during winter and summer vacations.

Signing of the Cooperation Agreement

Vice President Shen extended a warm welcome to the delegation, reviewed the history of mutual visits, and introduced the university’s achievements in disciplinary development and internationalization. He noted that, as a high-level university with major development support in Guangdong Province, GDUFS has always regarded internationalization as a core development strategy. In recent years, the university has sent over one hundred students to the UK through overseas study programs and short-term programs, while continuously recommending interns to international organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. He also mentioned that Professor Sai Gu, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick, had previously visited GDUFS, and the two sides had reached preliminary consensus on cooperation directions. The signing of the MOU marks a substantive step forward in collaboration between the two universities. He emphasized the strong demand among Chinese students for overseas education and the broad prospects for cooperation, expressing hope that both sides will work together to cultivate more high-caliber talents with global vision and further advance China-UK cultural and educational exchanges.

Highlight from the Meeting

Professor Lawrence expressed her gratitude for the warm reception from GDUFS. She noted that 2025 marked the 60th anniversary of both the University of Warwick and GDUFS, adding special significance to their collaboration. She introduced the positioning and strengths of the Warwick Global Academy, emphasizing its commitment to building cross-cultural academic bridges and promoting innovation in international education. She stated that the University of Warwick attaches great importance to partnerships with Chinese universities, and that the two institutions share highly aligned visions in talent cultivation and development. She expressed her hope that, building on the MOU, both sides will accelerate the implementation of concrete programs, strengthen faculty and student exchanges, promote joint research and curriculum co-development, and provide broader development opportunities for students, thereby jointly enhancing the level of international education.

Group Photo

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, the Graduate School, the Faculty of English Language and Culture, the School of Economics and Trade, the School of Journalism and Communication, the School of International Governance Innovation, and the Institute of Continuing Higher Education (Open College) of GDUFS, as well as China Bay Education Technology Group, a strategic partner of the University of Warwick in China.