Faculty MDHS delegation strengthens university research collaborations with China

Their visit was an opportunity to reconnect with alumni and institutional partners across Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong and strengthen research collaborations, research training, learning and teaching engagement, and student mobility.

With reopened borders and international travel permitted, the visit was an opportunity to build the faculty’s profile within China as a principled and long-term partner and to strengthen its existing and expanding collaborations with key partners.

Mike and Miriam attended alumni events in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong connecting with over 900 alumni attendees, both MDHS alumni and other faculties working in healthcare.

They also visited Peking University, Tsinghua University, Peking Union Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Nanjing University and the University of Hong Kong.

“It was wonderful to see our alumni display such pride in the University of Melbourne’s new #14 university world ranking. Our alumni were very excited to see photos of key new buildings, particularly the new Student Precinct,” Professor McGuckin said.

At Tsinghua University the faculty delegates met with Professor Wong Tien Yin, Vice Provost, Tsinghua University and Founding Head and Chair Professor, Tsinghua Medicine and Professor Wu Li, Associate Dean, School of Medicine; Deputy Director, Institute for Immunology and conversations centred around collaborating to transform medicine and healthcare in China.

Professor Li completed her PhD in molecular immunology at WEHI and currently holds a joint appointment between WEHI and Tsinghua. She is a strong advocate for Melbourne at Tsinghua and visits Melbourne regularly. In 2018, Professor Li was recognised with an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Melbourne.

The delegates then visited Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), China’s preeminent medical training institution, to discuss renewing reciprocal student medical placements and academic collaboration.

Professor McGuckin delivered a lecture to around 400 undergraduate and graduate students as well as academics in the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences on the Future of Health Research in Australia.

At Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), Professor McGuckin and Ms Cahir met two MDHS students enrolled in the University of Melbourne – Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint PhD program.

They discussed mechanisms to enhance the delivery of the program, reduce barriers for entry, grow researcher engagement and enhance the student experience.

They also met with SJTU’s One Health Centre team, a partnership with The University of Edinburgh and discussed the possibility for a joint workshop to share experiences and expertise in One Health in Melbourne in November.

At the Hong Kong University (HKU) they learned about the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine’s international award-winning Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) program and opportunities to partner in collaborative practice and patient-centred care.

They also explored bolstering reciprocal student placements in nursing and audiology.

As part of the visit, the University announced a partnership renewal with the China Scholarship Council to fund PhD candidates until 2027 for a combined investment of up to AUD$75 million.

The scholarship includes full PhD tuition fees for up to four years as well as airfares, health cover, visa application fees, and an allowance to cover living costs.

Jointly established in 2011 by the China Scholarship Council and the University of Melbourne, the partnership has offered scholarships to 215 candidates, with increasing demand since its inception.

China Scholarship Council Secretary-General Sheng Jianxue said the continued commitment between China Scholarship Council and the University of Melbourne fosters up-and-coming research talent.

“The partnership with the University of Melbourne promotes global excellence in research and allows top academic talent to create knowledge for better, healthier and more sustainable societies,” he said.

The partnership is approaching the significant milestone of celebrating 100 graduates to complete the program.

One such graduate, Dr Shunfei (Stephen) Yan, is now a senior investment manager at a China-based venture capital fund in the biomedical field, having graduated in 2019. Dr Yan conducted his PhD at the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology.

“Without the help of the PhD scholarship, I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to study at the University of Melbourne. I gained invaluable exposure to world-class research projects and facilities in the biomedical field, which in the end prompted me to devote my career to the biopharmaceutical industry,” Dr Yan said.

A further announcement included the renewal of the University-wide Memorandum of Understanding with Fudan University for academic collaboration and a Student Exchange Agreement for reciprocal overseas study programs.

The delegates noted the overwhelmingly warm reception received from partners and alumni, highlighting the value of these longstanding and mutually beneficial relationships.

Read more about the delegation here.