A SCUT Alumnus in New Zealand Donated a 450-mu Land: SCUT Expands New Overseas Educational Space
On June 13th,the New Zealand company Pokeno East and a SCUT alumnus Wu Jiandong donated the right to use a 450-mu mixed-use land in New Zealand to the South China University of Technology (SCUT). Zhang Xichun, the Chancellor of SCUT, signed adonation memorandum of understanding with Wu Jiandong on behalf of the university. The donation ceremony took place while Zhang Xichun was attending the China-New Zealand Education Development Forum by invitation.
Signing a donation memorandum of understanding
It is known that this mixed-use land is located in Pokeno Town, Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, just a 20-minute drive from Auckland Airport. It is adjacent to State Highway 1 and a railway, close to a beautiful nature reserve, and near the largest river in the North Island, the Waikato River, enjoying an excellent geographical location. The land will be used free of charge for 70 years andwill serve as SCUT's overseas educational site in New Zealand, creating a comprehensive China-New Zealand Innovation Center integrating technology research and development, achievement transformation, education and training, talent development, and cultural exchange.
As a vital carrier of the China-New Zealand Innovation Center, this mixed-use land will be complementarily developed together with the "International Cooperation Joint Laboratory on Smart Healthcare Automation" co-built with the University of Canterbury for mutually beneficial cooperation, aiming to improve SCUT's partnerships with leading New Zealand universities, research institutes, and renowned enterprises comprehensively, actively integrating into the global education and technological innovation network to enhance international influence and competitiveness significantly.
SCUT has maintained long-term stable cooperation with renowned New Zealand universities such as the University of Canterbury, the University of Auckland, the University of Otago, and Lincoln University, focusing on fields such as food, materials, and artificial intelligence to conduct multidimensional and multilevel exchanges in teaching, research, and student training, achieving remarkable results. In May of this year, Zhang Xichun led a delegation to visit the University of Canterbury and the University of Otago, reaching further consensus on deepening cooperation and jointly establishing the China-New Zealand Innovation Center. This achievement has been highlighted as a primary outcome of educational cooperation between China and New Zealand. SCUT was invited to attend the China-New Zealand Education Development Forum held in Auckland on June 14th. At the forum, witnessed by Chinese Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng and NZ Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds, Zhang Xichun signed the cooperation agreement for the "International Cooperation Joint Laboratory on Smart Healthcare Automation" with Cheryl de la Rey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury. In the future, SCUT will leverage the influences of the China-New Zealand Innovation Center and the joint laboratory to deepen educational partnerships with New Zealand and global collaborators, coordinate high-quality resources domestically and internationally, aiming to provide solutions and wisdom for achieving sustainable development in China, New Zealand, and the world.
Translator: Yaxin Zhang
Initial Proofreader: Sheng Gao
Final Proofreader: Zhaosheng Wu