Visit to Fudan University

10.12.2012

Rector Kalervo Väänänen and his delegation visited the Fudan University in Shanghai during the week 45.

University of Turku’s Rector Kalvervo Väänänen and the Vice-Rector of Fudan University Feng Xiaoyuan, signed the ICT field’s double degree agreement.

​The University of Turku and Fudan University have had cooperation since 2005. Additionally, the University of Turku is part of the Fudan Nordic Centre which is the cooperation centre for Fudan and Nordic universities and which was established by the Fudan University in 1995.

The rector’s delegation consisted of representatives of biosciences, TSE and material sciences. The visit deepened the already existing cooperation and created new contacts.

One example of the notable cooperation between the universities is the ICT field’s double degree agreement which was signed in Fudan.

- Both universities will constantly have students and researchers from the other university, says Professor Tapio Salakoski from the Department of Information Technology.

Students chosen for the programme will receive a degree both from the University of Turku as well as from Fudan University. The first selected students will start on spring 2013.

– Official agreement is important, because unofficial cooperation is always difficult. Now there’s an apartment ready in Shanghai and other aspects will work systematically as well.

Both universities have much to give with regards to cooperation. Fudan University is one of China’s top universities with talented students and great financial resources.

– The Finns are good at interdisciplinary cooperation and the people in Fudan University admired the way the ICT department socializes with the other disciplines.  Fudan University is similarly structured multidisciplinary university as University of Turku and they have a need to profile themselves from China’s other top universities.

Education and research cooperation

One of the visitors, professor of Nursing Science Maritta Välimäki, also sees the excellent cooperation possibilities.
 

 

– Based on the discussions, visits and seminar it’s easy to see that the Chinese have a vast need for education on different health care sectors. There are hopes for research cooperation especially on the field of mental health.  If everything goes according to plan we we’ll see signs of the new cooperation in the University of Turku already in the early spring, Välimäki says.

 

 
Text: Jouko Luhtala
Photographs: University of Turku
Created 10.12.2012 | Updated 07.06.2018