From June 11thto June 18th, BAI Vice president Wu Bing headed a delegation to United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and conducted productive meetings with the University of London, University of Oxford, Keele University, and University College Dublin.

The delegation visited SOAS University of London on June 13th. Both sides introduced the history and development of their own, discussed how to establish friendly inter-school relations, and explored possibilities for cooperation, such as training of civil servants, research, and policy consultation.

During the delegation’s visit to the University of Oxford, they met with Caroline Airey, the Portfolio Administrator of the Programs in Leadership and Public Policy which belongs to the Department for Continuing Education. The Department for Continuing Education is responsible for integrating all the training resources in Oxford, owns advanced training programs in various fields, and has established cooperation with some institutes in China in the area of official training. Two sides exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding and authorized representatives to follow up the cooperation.

Keele University and BAI have some academic exchange before the visit. Professor Richard Luther, the Vice-President of Internationalisation came to BAI in May 2017 and delivered a seminar on the topic ofEuropean Populism & the Great Recession. Keele extended warm welcome to BAI delegation members. The meeting of the two sides was attended by Deputy Vice President Professor Mark Ormerod, Vice President Professor David Amigoni, Vice President Professor Shane O’Neill, and senior representatives from the School of Social Science and Public Policy, Keele Management School, and International Office. The two sides had active discussion on future cooperation and signed MoU for mutual interest.

Departing from Keele, the delegation arrived in Dublin and visited University College Dublin and Dublin Docklands. Docklands Business Forum, a primary business association for Dublin Docklands, introduced the experience and practice of the Docklands in industrial transformation, and the hot issues in Ireland, including education, environment protection, immigration, etc.

The delegation also visited Stratford where the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games were held, and communicated with the local officials on the issues of regeneration and redevelopment after the Games, and urban planning. Moreover, to strengthen the firm faith in communism, the delegation visited the Highgate Cemetery where Karl Marx was buried.

The rewarding visit has developed mutual understanding and cooperation between BAI and relevant universities, and enhanced cultural communication between China and the UK.