On November 28, a delegation led by Professor Ron White, Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor of Australia’s James Cook University (JCU), visited Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (JXUST). The two sides held productive talks at the Lianxi Building on the Sanjiang Campus (East Garden), focusing on the establishment of a Sino-foreign cooperative education institution and exploring future collaborative prospects.
Professor Xiong Zhihua, Member of the University Standing Committee and Vice President of JXUST, welcomed the delegation and highlighted the university’s history, disciplinary strengths—particularly in non-ferrous metals, metallurgy, and materials—and recent achievements in international education. He noted the strong alignment between JXUST and JCU in engineering, technology, and environmental sciences, emphasizing immense potential for partnership. Professor Xiong expressed hope that the discussion would pave the way for high-level joint programs and create broader international exchange platforms for students and faculty.
Professor Ron White spoke positively of JXUST’s academic strengths and distinctive disciplines. He introduced JCU’s advantages in scientific research and talent cultivation and conveyed JCU’s interest in deepening collaboration in smart manufacturing, intelligent materials, smart mining, and environmental innovation. Both sides exchanged views on cooperation models, program design, and curriculum development, engaging in practical dialogue on key steps toward the proposed institution.
Following the meeting, JXUST, James Cook University, and the Australian Institute for Future Education signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding.
This visit has enhanced mutual understanding and laid a solid foundation for building a high-quality cooperative education institution. It also marks a significant step in JXUST’s ongoing “openness and integration” strategy and the expansion of its global partnership network. The establishment of a joint educational institution will further support the university’s “Double First-Class” initiative, promote the introduction of high-quality international resources, encourage interdisciplinary integration, and elevate the global competence of its academic staff.
