In line with the national strategy for opening up education to the world and in support of high-level international cooperation in education and the broader landscape of global science and education governance, the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering has aligned its work with the university’s Global Navigator · International Initiative Enhancement Program to boost the quality of top-tier innovative talent cultivation through international engagement. From July 30 to August 8, 2026, a six-member faculty-studentdelegation, led by Vice-Dean Lou Shuaifeng, visited the United Kingdom for academic exchange and talent recruitment. The delegation visited the University of Cambridge, Queen Mary University of London, and Lancaster University, holding practical discussions on joint platform development, signing of inter-university cooperation memoranda, faculty-student exchange mechanisms, and joint research. The visit enabled the delegation to gain in-depth insights into international frontiers of chemistry and chemical engineering, experience the UK’s higher education system and its educational culturefirst-hand, and achieve positive progress in high-level talentrecruitment.
At the University of Cambridge (August 1–3), the delegation paid visits to the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, and Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) under the Department of Engineering, for multi-level academic engagement.
At the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, the delegation attended a seminar featuring presentations by researchers Rumen Tomov, Marcel Yiao, and Peter Knight. Marcel Yiao then guided the group on a tour of the department’s cutting-edge laboratory facilities and gave detailed briefings on relevant equipment.
At the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, the two sides held a roundtable discussion and compared noteson respective research directions and corresponding technical approaches. Undergraduate delegates shared their learning experiences from exchange studies at Cambridge. In-depth exchange conversations with overseas students deepened their understanding of research methodologies.
At the Department of Chemistry, the delegation toured the laboratory of Dame Professor Clare P. Grey FRS, where members observed advanced research instruments, including a Bruker Avance-series solid-state NMR spectrometer and an X-ray diffractometer. The delegation also visited the department library and learned about its literature resources covering all sub-branches of chemistry. The delegation additionally held in-depth talks with Athan Fox, who covers all sub-branches of chemistry. Both sides reached a preliminary consensus on pooling global innovation resources, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship education.
At the Institute for Manufacturing, the delegation hosted a special recruitment event for University of Cambridgeparticipants. Vice-Dean Lou Shuaifeng briefed senior PhD candidates on HIT’s talent recruitment policies, academic resources and research platforms of the School, followed by thorough Q&A sessions with attendees. During the stay, delegation members were accommodated at St John’s College and Churchill College, immersing themselves in Cambridge’s profound historical and academic heritage.
1. The delegation visits the University of Cambridge
2. The delegation attends a seminar at the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge
3. Special recruitment event held at the University of Cambridge
4. The delegation communicates with Chinese students at Cambridge
From August 4 to 5, the delegation visited Queen Mary University of London. Both sides discussed discipline development, research collaboration, and talent training, laying a foundation for future inter-university cooperation. While in London, the delegation also toured the British Museum. Beyond academic agendas, the activity helped them gain deeper insights into world civilizations and history and further enhanced their humanistic literacy and global vision.
From August 6 to 7, the delegation visited Lancaster University. They toured laboratories within the Department of Chemistry and held talks with Dr. Hua Xiao and members of his research group. Dr. Hua Xiao welcomed the delegation and gave an overview of Lancaster University and its Department of Chemistry, while Vice-Dean Lou Shuaifeng introduced the history, disciplinary strengths, talent development programs, and research platforms of HIT and the School. The two sides then had thorough discussions on frontier topics such as battery materials and advanced characterization techniques, reaching a consensus on jointly training students. During the visit, the delegation also toured the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University and delivered a recruitment briefing targeting senior PhD students and postdoctoral researchers among the local Chinese students, elaborating on HIT’s talent policies and the School’s development in detail. Undergraduate delegates also interacted with local PhD students, acquiring early insight into topics such as applying to study abroad and overseas research training, and were encouraged to plan their academic and career paths accordingly.
5. The delegation visits Lancaster University and tours laboratories in the Department of Chemistry
6. Special recruitment event held at Lancaster University
This UK tour marks a key practice of the Schoolin advancing international talent training under HIT’s "Global Navigator · International Vision Enhancement Initiative". It also represents a concrete move to implement the national strategy for education opening-up and deepen engagement in global science-and-education cooperation. Through visits to three top-tier UK universities, the delegation deepened its understanding of subject-area frontiers, expanded talent recruitment channels, and helped undergraduate participants build global competency through cross-cultural exchange. All these efforts have laid a solid foundation for long-term international partnerships. Going forward, adhering to the spirit of openness and mutual learning, the School will keep expanding its network of international partners, explore pathways for international talent development suited to chemical engineering, and work to cultivate top innovative talent who combine a strong sense of national commitment with international competitiveness, in support of HIT’s "Double First-Class" initiative and China’s pursuit of self-reliance in high-level science and technology.
