Launching Ceremony of Joint Educational Institute of Nanchang University Successfully Held

On the morning of November 10^th, 2025, the Launching Ceremony of Joint Educational Institute (JEI) of Nanchang University was splendidly held in the Academic Hall of the Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Qianhu South Campus, Nanchang University. As the first of its kind institute focusing on medicine in Jiangxi province, the official establishment of this institution marks a historic breakthrough for Nanchang University in the realm of Chinese-foreign cooperative education and is a significant milestone to the internationalization of higher education in Jiangxi.

Group photo of participants.

Distinguished guests and leaders from both the Chinese and British sides were invited to witness this significant moment. Attendees included Mr. Zheng Lei, Director of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Education; Mr. Li Qinghong, Deputy Director of the Jiangxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission; Professor Colin Bailey, Principal of QMUL; Professor Wen Wang, Vice Principal of QMUL; Professor Luo Sihai, Party Secretary of NCU; Professor Chen Yeguang, President of NCU; Professor Ge Gang, Vice President of NCU; Professor Wang Li, Vice President of NCU; and Professor Pan Bingxing, Vice President of NCU. Also present were Professor Shen Weiqi, Party Secretary of University of Nottingham Ningbo China; representatives from the British Consulate General in Guangzhou; principles of relevant provincial departments; and colleagues from associate universities. The ceremony’s host was Vice President Pan Bingxing.

Pan Bingxing, Vice President of Nanchang University, hosted the ceremony.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Vice President Ge Gang of Nanchang University read the official approval document from the Ministry of Education. It was clarified that, pursuant to the “Ministry of Education Reply of Approval Consent on the Establishment of Nanchang University Queen Mary School,” the non-independent legal entity Sino-foreign cooperative education institution established by the two universities has been formally approved. In accordance with the decision of the University President's Executive Meeting, the Queen Mary School will be fully responsible for all operations and corresponding functions of the newly approved Sino-foreign cooperative education institution as well as the existing Sino-foreign cooperative education joint program (the Undergraduate Education Joint Program in Clinical Medicine) and promote integrated development.

Ge Gang, Vice President of Nanchang University, read out the Approval Document from Ministry of Education.

In his address, Professor Colin Bailey, President of Queen Mary University of London, introduced that as a member of the UK's Russell Group, ranking among the top 100 globally, with research quality ranked 31^st in the world and 7th in the UK, the university has cultivated 9 Nobel Prize winners and has taken the lead in the fields of biomedicine and digital innovation. He expressed that this collaborative program integrates the strengths of both institutions to cultivate interdisciplinary medical talents capable of addressing global health challenges.

Professor Colin Bailey, President of Queen Mary University of London, delivering a speech.

Subsequently, Professor Chen Yeguang, President of Nanchang University, pointed out in his speech that as a national "Double First-Class" university, Nanchang University boasts 18 disciplines ranking within the top 1% globally in ESI (including seven biomedical-related disciplines), five directly affiliated hospitals, and numerous national-level platforms, demonstrating robust strength in medical education and scientific research. The newly established Sino-foreign cooperative education institution will leverage the advantages of both the Chinese and British institutions and focus on the fields of precision medicine and data science. It will offer two undergraduate programs and one master's degree program with a total planned enrollment capacity of 1,180 students, which will officially commence in 2026 through the national unified admission plan.

Professor Chen Yeguang, President of Nanchang University, delivering a speech.

Amidst the enthusiastic applause of the entire audience, Director Zheng Lei, Secretary Luo Sihai, President Chen Yeguang, Deputy Director Li Qinghong, President Colin Bailey, Vice President Wen Wang, Dean Luo Zhijun, Mike McCourt (Deputy Director of Life Sciences and Medical Industry of the British Consulate General in Guangzhou China), Mark Maconochie (Director of the Joint Project) and other representatives from both China and the UK jointly took the stage to unveil the plaque, marking the official launch and operation of the institution. After the unveiling ceremony, the attending leaders and guests visited the exhibition of the educational achievements of Queen Mary School of Nanchang University in groups, comprehensively reviewing the outstanding achievements made by the two schools in talent cultivation, scientific research innovation, international exchanges and other features over the past decade of cooperation.

The scene of the launching ceremony

Visit the exhibition of the educational achievements of Queen Mary School.

Subsequently, the invited report session was hosted by Wang Li, the Vice President of Nanchang University. Professor Shen Weiqi, the Party Secretary of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, then delivered a speech titled “The Operating Mechanism of Sino-Foreign Cooperative Universities: A Case Study of Nottingham Ningbo.” By drawing on the successful practices of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, he delved deeply into the essential mechanisms of Sino-foreign cooperative universities in terms of governance structure, quality assurance and cultural integration, providing valuable references for the innovative development of Sino-foreign cooperative education at Nanchang University.

Wang Li, Vice President of Nanchang University, hosted the invited report.

Shen Weiqi, Party Secretary of University of Nottingham Ningbo China, delivering a special report.

The establishment of the Nanchang University Queen Mary School is of profound significance. Taking this unveiling ceremony as an opportunity, the college will adhere to its original aspiration and mission of "cultivating talents for the Party and the country," and continuously deepen the meaning of educational internationalization, expand cooperation space in areas such as the integration of science and education, talent cultivation, and cultural exchange, promote higher-level coordinated development, strive to build a "distinctive and first-class in China" model of Sino-foreign cooperative education, contributing more efforts to enhance the international influence of higher education in Jiangxi Province. Taken together, this will support the further development of a strong educational country and province, along with high-quality regional health care.