From Nov. 25th to Dec. 2nd, the delegation from Zhejiang University School of Medicine which was led by Prof. Xiaoming Li who is the associate dean for International Affairs and Graduate Study and Guozhong Chen who is associate dean for Students Affairs visited the University of Melbourne, the University of West Australia, Macquarie University and University of Sydney. It was the first formal visit Zhejiang University School of Medicine played to Australian universities, and topics regarding students exchange, jointed medical school and cooperative scientific research was deeply discussed during the visits. As a world famous top research-oriented university, the subject of medicine from the University of Melbourne ranks top 12th in the world and first in Australia according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015. Being invited by the University of Melbourne to pay a return visit was the focus of this Australian visit. University of Sydney is the first university founded in Australia and Oceania. Being a member of the six Sandstone universities, the University of Sydney is also a core league member of the eight top universities in Australia. Macquarie University is famous for its business, and its Medical School has been focused recently. The philosophy, managing method and hardware construction of the Medical School are pretty advanced. Zhejiang Province and West Australia has been keeping friendly relationship for 29 years, and the cooperation in health care is the key mutual benefits of the communication of the two sides.
On Nov. 26th and 27th, the delegation visited the University of Melbourne. During the visit, a meeting was held with Dick Strugnell who is the vice president in charge of graduate education and scientific research and staff from Medical School including Sinom Evans, the vice-chancellor international, Glenn Bowes, the deputy dean, Doris Young, the associate dean from department of China Programs and Terry Nolan who is the dean of School of Public Health. The two sides shared the philosophy and distinguishing features of each others’ education system and had a further discussion regarding the joint medical school program in the field of clinical medicine and preventive medicine, and a preliminary agreement concerning undergraduate clinical residency, short-term exchange and scientific research cooperation was reached. In the end, the delegation visited the Brain Research Center, Doherty Infectious Disease and Immunity Research Center, WEHI Medical Research Institute, the Affiliated Royal Melbourne Hospital and St. Vincent's Hospital.
On Nov. 30th, the delegation had a talk with the staff from the University of West Australia including Prof. Minghao Zheng who is the associate dean in charge of international affairs and Prof. Sandra Carr who is in charge of medical education. The two sides confirmed the intention of student exchanging program focusing on public health and basic medicine in 2016 summer. By then, 55 students from Zhejiang University will be selected to go to Australia, and they will be arranged to live with homestay families to have more deeply communications with the local culture. The two sides also had a discussion about the possibility of the joint clinical medical undergraduate program. In addition, the delegation played a visit to the Pathology Network Center and the affiliated hospitals. This visit expanded the cooperation between the two medical schools to the field of student exchanging and medical education.
On Dec. 2nd, the delegation visited Macquarie University and the University of Sydney respectively. The staff from Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences including John Boyages who is the associate dean in charge of International & Engagement and Prof. Roger Chung who is the associate dean in charge of research played a host to the delegation. The two sides made a preliminary agreement to initiate cooperation in student exchanging. Followed by the visits of some related labs and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Cognitive Science and Disorder (CCD), an experience sharing regarding how to develop cooperation between universities and companies was given by the representatives from Macquarie University. During the visits in University of Sydney, the two sides held a conversation about collaboration in brain center as well as general practitioner training.
Furthermore, the delegation organized a social gathering with the alumni of Zhejiang University School of Medicine to learn about their working and studying situations. Meanwhile, through the communications with the alumni, the delegation was able to have a deeper understanding of the operation of health care system in Australia, the application process of licensed doctor qualificationcertificate and the development of the occupation of doctor, the application process and qualification of all sorts of academic credential education as well as the big environment for Chinese practitioners. This gathering also built a bridge between Australian alumni and their alma mater and also among the alumni. A proposal was initiated to establish the Australian Zhejiang University School of Medicine Alumni Association to hopefully further unite the power of the alumni and promote the mutual development.
