Vice President Liming Zhao Invited to Attend the China-UK Science and Innovation Cooperation Forum

Recently, ECUST Vice President Liming Zhao, was invited to attend the China-UK Science and Innovation Cooperation Forum held in Shanghai. He delivered remarks at the thematic session on Future Foods and actively promoted scientific and technological cooperation between China and the UK.

Under the guidance of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology, the forum was hosted by the Shanghai Science and Technology Exchange Center and co-organized by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Royal Society. 

More than 80 delegates attended the event, including Qiang Wang (Level II Bureau Rank Official of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Science and Technology of China), Geraldine McCafferty (Minister of the British Embassy in China), Nicola Di-Luzio (Head of China Team, International Economy and Security Group, at the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology of the UK), Dajin Luo (Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology), Matt Burney (British Consul General in Shanghai), as well as representatives from governmental departments, universities, research institutes and enterprises of both countries.

Centering on three major themes, namely Net-Zero Technology, Healthy Aging and Future Foods, the forum conducted in-depth panel discussions to explore paths and mechanisms for future scientific and technological cooperation between China and UK.

During the thematic session on Future Foods, Zhao provided an in-depth analysis of the development trends in this field and shared his insights on the opportunities and challenges of China-UK cooperation. He highlighted the strengths and advancements of ECUST in food science, biotechnology and other related disciplines, reviewed the existing cooperation foundations between ECUST and British higher education institutions, and expressed expectations for further cooperation with British universities and research institutes in more fields in the future.

During the forum, Zhao also held exchanges with professors from top British universities including the University of Oxford and Imperial College London. The two sides exchanged views on research areas of mutual interest and discussed potential cooperation opportunities in the future.