On September 2nd, President YAO Yu and Vice President YU Zhiwen held a meeting with Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs, Vice President of the World Maritime University (Sweden), in the VIP conference room on the fourth floor of the Qihang Activity Center.

YAO Yu highlighted the distinctive focus of both institutions, with the World Maritime University specializing in cultivating high-level talents in shipping and maritime management, and Harbin Engineering University excelling in talent development in ship technology and equipment. He emphasized that collaboration between the two universities would harness their respective strengths to nurture industry-leading professionals and jointly build think tanks that provide intellectual support for high-quality development.

Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs noted that the World Maritime University, affiliated with the International Maritime Organization, faces challenges in the shipbuilding industry, particularly in achieving green, low-carbon, and intelligent development. He expressed a desire for broader cooperation, encompassing scientific research and talent development, to enhance global influence.

YAO Yu also met with representatives from foreign universities during the University Presidents Forum from August 30th to September 2nd. On August 31st, he and YU Zhiwen met with Banchong Mahaisavariya, President of Mahidol University (Thailand); Atilla Incecik, Former Associate Principal of the University of Strathclyde (UK); Carlos Guedes Soares, Professor at the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and Academician of Academia de Engenharia; Christopher Ian Boyd, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (UK); Rizwan Riaz, Pro Rector of the National University of Sciences & Technology (Pakistan); and Naseem Irfan, Rector of the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Pakistan).

YU Zhiwen met with Kenneth T.V. Grattan, Professor at the University of Cambridge (UK) and Academician of the Royal Academy of Engineering; Ionica Emilian Parau, Dean of the School of Mathematics at the University of East Anglia (UK); Stephen Warrington, Dean of Student Experience at the College of Science and Engineering, the University of Edinburgh (UK); Harminder Battu, Dean for International Student Pathways at the University of Aberdeen (UK); Ana Ivanovic, Director of Internationalization and Student Recruitment at the School of Engineering of the University of Aberdeen (UK); as well as Supot Teachavorasinskun and Tawatchai Charinpanit, Dean and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University (Thailand).

On September 2nd, YAO Yu and YU Zhiwen met with Naseem Irfan, Rector of the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Pakistan), and the Director and Vice Director of the Institute of Research and Development on Naval Engineering at the National University of Engineering (Peru), Juan Jose Uchuya Lopez and Jose Luis Mantari Laureano.

Representatives from various universities extended congratulations on the 70th anniversary of Harbin Engineering University's establishment and expressed a desire to strengthen communication and cooperation for mutual benefit.

During the meeting, the university signed inter-school cooperation agreements with Mahidol University and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences.