On June 16, Professor Sir Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, and his delegation visited Leicester International College of Dalian University of Technology, where they held a “Coffee with the President” forum with more than 30 teacher and student representatives. The forum was also attended by Chinese and British faculty representatives, including Professor Dirk Schaefer, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester and Head of the College of Science and Engineering; Mr. Martyn Edwards, Executive Director of International Affairs; Ms. Tracy Li, Deputy Director of International Recruitment; Professor Steven Bull, Head of the School of Chemistry of the University of Leicester; Professor Jinxuan Liu, Deputy Dean (Executive) of Leicester International College; Professor Jingzhe Pan, UK Co-Dean of the College; Deputy Dean Lingling Zhao; and Dr. Baocheng Li, UK Deputy Dean. The forum was moderated by Professor Jingzhe Pan.
At the forum, students asked questions enthusiastically and the atmosphere was lively, warm and forward-looking. Teachers and students held in-depth exchanges on topics including the use of artificial intelligence in education, research capacity training, recognition of credits earned on exchange, the residence of University of Leicester teaching staff on campus and innovation in teaching interaction, exploration of joint teaching models, the transfer of course modules and cross-disciplinary course design, alumni engagement, the international value of the joint degree, and career planning and development.
On the international value of the joint degree, President Nishan noted that joint degrees enjoy a strong reputation in the international job market and that graduates are highly competitive worldwide. He encouraged students to identify their direction early, make full use of the advantages of an international education, and build both solid professional knowledge and international competitiveness — keeping pace with global trends, cultivating a global outlook, honing strong professional skills, and developing the cross-cultural literacy and open-mindedness that will allow them to step confidently onto the world stage.
The forum provided a platform for in-depth exchange between teachers and students. The conversation looked back on four years of growth on campus under the joint Sino-British education, and, grounded in the trends of the times, charted a course and offered high hopes for the graduates' future development. Leicester International College will remain true to its founding mission, continue to explore and innovate, and pursue with every effort the cultivation of high-level international talent.
